The Traveler The Lord of the Rings
by Captain Oblivious
Summary: Begun 7 years ago, a hopeless Mary Sue that has grown into something halfway decent. A young girl named Riley learns what it means to succeed in life. Enjoy, R&R!
1. Life Before

**A/N:** This story began as an experiment, but within eight days I had written thirty-seven pages. Guess it's time that I submit it for reviews. Please let me know what you think. Oh and, by the way, it will eventually be a Legomance, but that's going to take a while. Also, this is written to match the movie, not the book. I decided that the book was a little bit too advanced for me to try to match. Enjoy!

**Title:** The Traveler – The Lord of the Rings 

**Author:** The Elfin Child

**Date Started:** August 13, 2002

**Rating:** PG (parental guidance suggested)

**Summary: **A young girl named Riley Ashton finds herself in Middle-Earth one day with some things to learn about life, love, and happiness. 

**Main characters: **Riley (OC), Legolas, Boromir, Aragorn, Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Arwen, Gandalf, Sam, Gimli, Elrond, Galadriel, Haldir… yada yada yada….

**Pairing: **Legolas/Riley

**Disclaimer: **I, in no way, shape, or form, claim to own any characters or settings from The Lord of the Rings… yet. *evil laugh*

Chapter One – Life Before 

            Riley Ashton, in one word, would have described herself as "different". Mind you, she knew the difference between "weird" and "different". Though modest to a fault, in her own mind, Riley would examine her character down to the bone and still further. She knew that she was extremely open-minded, yet firm in her beliefs, intelligent, perceptive, intuitive, and unusually trusting. Those were the things she counted when she was desperately clinging to the beautiful things about her personality. Even her closest friends were deceived by the perfect appearance that she put forth. The goings-on of her life seemed in perfect balance. 

            Riley admitted her very deepest secrets to only a few people. She told them that she was proud and quietly self-righteous, and for those things she felt continually guilty. And because the only people she admitted her faults to were named Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf, she sincerely lacked the encouragement and motivation that our best of friends should provide for us. 

            As for her looks, she certainly was pretty. Her wide green-hazel eyes always betrayed every emotion and her smile lit her entire face when it was sincere. Chestnut hair bounced down to her chin and messy short strands often found their way in front of her face. Her skin was light, with a natural healthy glow about the cheeks, and her slightly upturned, freckled nose was definitely unique. Riley was not the tallest of the girls she knew, but was about half a head taller than her best friend, who stood at five feet four inches. Therefore, as you can imagine, she was considered tall and slim. 

            As I have mentioned before, Riley Ashton was intuitive and trusting, which made her much more likely to believe things that all "rational" people would have dismissed as fairy tales and fictional stories. Knowing this, you can now understand why Riley so persistently spoke with her friends from Lord of the Rings, though she could not see or hear them. She believed in her heart, and often forced herself to believe in her mind, that her closest confidants could very well be real. And, as you will see later on in this story, this belief would give her a much-needed strength. 

            Now in her room, Riley had a special box that hid behind mirror closet doors for short amounts of time during the day. On the side of this plain-looking cardboard box was a small label, which held four letters: "LotR". As can be guessed, those letters were abbreviations of the words Lord of the Rings. Inside were four shoeboxes that were also labeled with abbreviations; "FotR", "TTT", "RotK", and "RW". If the Lord of the Rings books are familiar to you, you can easily identify the first three groups of letters as abbreviations for Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King. As for the fourth, that simply meant "Real World", and referred to articles and pictures of the actors in the movie-versions of the books. 

            The three main boxes contained the three "LotR" books, and anything in the form of articles, pictures, and flyers that had to do with their book or movie, respectively. 

            For Riley, school was fairly simple, though she had had some trouble with her English teacher. For a fifteen-year-old girl in a rather demanding environment, Riley seemed to have little trouble living up to the expectations of her parents and teachers. But at night she would cry until she had no more tears to be shed, after which she would fall asleep imagining herself in Middle-Earth with the only people she knew would understand her. To be short in my explanation of such desperation, I will only say that our young friend was sorely aware of the lack on motivation and caring in her life. 

***

            "Make sure you're ready for the test on Friday!" Mr. Carroll called over the bustle of teenagers hurrying to leave the classroom, though most of the young girls in his fourth period class undoubtedly were hoping to catch a few last words from their gorgeous Algebra II teacher. 

            Riley approached Mr. Carroll's desk slowly, taking several deep breaths. "Mr. Carroll?" she said softly, clutching her math book to her chest nervously. 

            "Yes, Miss Ashton?" Mr. Carroll asked with an encouraging smile. 

            Riley tried desperately to ignore the heat in her hands. "Um… I was just wondering if the quadratic equation is going to be on the test." Believe it or not, that was the sole reason for her approaching her teacher's desk. Unlike the other girls who were in Mr. Carroll's class, his ice-blue eyes, wavy brown hair, beautiful smile, tan skin, perfect body, and the fact that he was extremely young for a teacher had absolutely no effect on Riley. Nope, none.

            Mr. Carroll gave Riley a happy smile and replied, "Yes, it will. Good thing you asked. I forgot to mention that today; better remind myself to do that tomorrow. Thanks, Riley."

            Riley smiled at the praise, but did not feel it hit core, as gratitude should. "You're welcome, Mr. Carroll." She began to leave, but as an afterthought turned back, slipping something out of her pocket. "Mr. Carroll? I was going to see Return of the King this afternoon with Shawnna, but turns out she can't go after all, and I don't want to go alone. My mom got the tickets for me yesterday and seeing as I can't use them, I was wondering if you might like them."

            Mr. Carroll looked in wonder at the tickets. "Riley, did you know that I love Lord of the Rings more than any other books?" Riley shook her head. "Well it's true. But are you sure you can't go with someone else?" Riley nodded hastily, and pushed the tickets into his hands. "Well then… thank you! Money's been a little tight even though we teachers get paid a lot," he made a face that clearly showed his sarcasm, "so I didn't know when I'd get to see this one. Thank you."

            Riley nodded and as soon as she turned around, she grinned to herself. With only two minutes left until he bell rang, she hurried off to study hall. Just as the bell let out its warning shriek, Riley slipped into a seat. Only after she did so did she realize that she had sat down next to Jeremy Bradford, Rolling Crest High's most popular, adored senior. 

            Jeremy was Mr. Carroll's half-brother, and you could tell. They looked so much alike that, except for Jeremy's California-blonde hair, they could have been mistaken for twins. 

            Jeremy was every girl's dream guy. He was funny and smart, with just the right balance of bad-boy and sensitivity. And the younger girls in the school didn't have to just stare longingly after him. He was kind and attentive to everyone. He had even dated Leslie Adams, a sophomore, briefly at the beginning of the year. 

            Riley, like many of her friends, had had a crush on Jeremy for part of her freshman year. But that, for some reason, had faded to a kind-of sisterly admiration. 

            "Hey, Riley," Jeremy whispered as he opened his Spanish II textbook. 

            "Hi, Jeremy," Riley whispered back, feeling oddly at ease for someone who had never spoken to Jeremy before. 

            "I know something you don't know," he sang softly, giving her a teasing glance. 

            Before Riley could ask what it was, Greg Hathaway bent down next to her ear and hissed, "Hey, Kid! This is my seat!"

            Riley's face flushed and she silently reached for her backpack, but she stopped when she felt a hand rest protectively on her shoulder. 

            "Hey, man, you're late. Why don't you find another seat?" When Greg hesitated in backing down, Jeremy's voice gained a warning tone. "Greg, man, I'm talking to Riley, okay? I needed some help with my Spanish." Greg glanced at Riley one more time before stomping off. 

            Jeremy waited until their grumpy teacher went back to her book before saying softly, "Sorry 'bout him. Anyway…."

            Riley smiled. "What do you know that I don't?"

            Jeremy grinned excitedly. "You know that house that's for sale across from you?" Riley nodded, briefly bringing up a mental image of the mansion across the street from her house. Its last owners had been old and mean. She had been glad when they moved to Florida. "Well… my parents bought it last night." He grinned triumphantly. 

            Riley couldn't help smiling. She had immediately understood that Jeremy expected and looked forward to hearing every detail of her life. The smile he gave her explained plenty; he had already gathered as much about her as he could without asking questions. Just like Riley had observed his personality in play, Jeremy was dead sure that he knew her personality. In a way, it was comforting. 

            Jeremy took her home that day, and she could have sworn that her face glowed the entire time. It was a wonderful feeling to be totally comfortable with someone, something that she didn't have with her family anymore. 

***

            Riley sighed as she fell on her bed, relaxing her entire body and listening to the familiar sounds of her house. Her mom was just finishing dusting the den thoroughly, so she still had her movie playing. 

            Her dog Barton was playing with himself, rolling his tennis ball down the stairs then racing after it. "Thump, thump, thump" then a loud "BLAM!" as he ran into the wall at the bottom. 

            And… ugh! Homework was calling her name. She hated when it did that. Study hall always sent her home with a filled-to-the-brim brain. 

            She sat up and stared at herself in the mirror. She would have a friend across the street soon; she had to keep remembering that. 

            *Ring!* Riley rolled off her bed and checked the caller-I.D. before she answered the phone. "Hey, Shawn."

            "You gave my ticket to Mr. Carroll?" Shawnna Brown shrieked. Riley laughed, but Shawn wasn't done yet. "And Jeremy Bradford took you home?"

            "Gee whiz, Shawn! How the heck did you know that? I only got home ten minutes ago!"

            Shawn giggled. "So it is true! You know that Lana is gonna have a hissy fit when I confirm it, right?"

            "Why in the world would your sister care if Jeremy gave me a ride home?"

            "Duh… cuz they're going out as of yesterday!"

            "You're kidding! But I still don't understand why she'd be mad. He's moving in across the street on Saturday, so he wanted to know how to get there from school."

            Shawn screamed, and Riley wondered how she could get away with being so loud in her house. "I didn't know he was moving!"

            "Well, they only bought the house last night."

            "How did you find out?"

            "He told me in study hall…."

            "You mean you talked to him afterwards?"

            "No, I sat next to him."

            There was silence on the other end of the line for a split second. "… in Greg Hathaway's seat?"

            "How did you know that? You never have study hall fifth period."

            "Ri, come on. This is Greg the football player! Everyone knows he has his own seat in that classroom! It hides you from the teacher and he sleeps that period."

            "Oh, right…."  
  


            "Babe, you're kind of out of it. I'm gonna go tell Lana that what we heard about Jeremy's giving you a ride home is true." Riley heard a faraway panicked gasp. "Whelp… guess she knows. Sorry about the movie. See you tomorrow!"

            "See ya."

            She didn't know how Shawnna did it, but Riley suddenly had enough energy to feel like starting homework. 

***

            "How was school, Ri?" Riley glanced wearily at her father and considered snapping that it was the same as always, if there was something special about it, she would have told them already. 

            Instead, she smiled sweetly and chose some random facts about the day. "Well, I helped someone with their Spanish, I met the star football player, and…"

Her mother broke in. "And a senior boy brought her home." It wasn't exactly the happy-for-you attitude Riley had hoped for. 

            Her father simply said, "Oh." But he didn't hide his disapproval well. 

            Riley had been about to explain why Jeremy had offered her a ride, but her parents' attitudes seemed to warn that an explanation would not be taken seriously. It was an attitude that Riley despised, for she had learned that it meant that she was a teenager and nothing she said should be taken seriously. It often came after Riley had been talking to her friends, and gave all of them the impression that her parents did not approve of them at all. 

            Riley picked at her food, realizing somewhere in the back of her mind that her silence was giving her parents the impression that their disapproval had been earned, and she was just a misguided little girl. 

            After dinner, Riley carried the dirty dishes to the sink and began to wash them. She hummed a song she had written to herself, and then started singing softly. 

            "Riley!" her dad called as he picked up the television remote control and prepared to turn the T.V. on. "Can you be quiet? I'm gonna watch T.V.!" Riley clamped her mouth shut, silently repeating what she wished she could say back. 

            She had just begun to scrub off a cookie-sheet when she felt her mom behind her. "You know, it's easier for me if I get it soapy first." Without a word, Riley reached for the soap to make her mother happy. "No, like this." Riley dried her hands on a towel, watching her mom finish the dishes the way she wanted to. Riley never understood why her mother always insisted that Riley's method of washing dishes, or anything else, was incorrect.

            She could barely hold her tears of frustration back as she walked out of the room at a normal pace. 

            When she finally reached her room and had closed the door softly, she picked up a teddy bear and threw it at the floor. Tears streamed down her face. 

            "Why can't they treat me like a person?" she asked her bed. The desk didn't have an answer either. Riley opened her closet and pulled out her "LotR" box. Grabbing Fellowship of the Ring, a soundtrack to one of the movies, and her portable CD player, she went to her window and threw it open. Let her parents have a quiet night. Riley climbed out of her second-story window and tossed her things into a soft bush, then shuffled down the oak tree on the side of the house. 

            Two minutes later, she was making her way to her favorite spot in the back of Jeremy's new backyard. The last owners, the Prestons, had installed a fountain about three years before Riley was born. They had probably enjoyed it for a while, but eventually they forgot it and as a result, the path leading to it became overgrown and hidden. Riley had discovered that Mr. and Mrs. Preston were very forgetful, which was why their neighbors always ended up feeding their animals. 

            One day, when her family had been over for dinner, Riley had gone exploring and stumbled upon a little cove. Feeling that she had discovered her own secret garden, Riley had immediately left, but returned in secret many times. 

            Now Riley sat down on a rock and leaned back against a tree, letting the quiet of "her cove" flow over her and sooth her nerves. She sighed and opened her book and put on her headphones. Then she was lost among friends and caught in a story that helped her to forget her own troubles. 


	2. Around Every Corner

Chapter Two – Around Every Corner 

            "So what're you going to do after your bestest friend leaves, Ri?" Shawn was sitting in Riley's blow-up chair in the middle of the room, watching out the window as her sister Lana exited the Bradfords' house, which they had moved into early that morning. Jeremy had been showing Lana the house, and Shawnna took the opportunity to visit Riley. 

            "Um, I think I'm going to have a Lord of the Rings marathon with Jeremy. He was over here this morning and saw all my posters and my box." Riley was scanning through a magazine, keeping an eye out for any interesting details on Lord of the Rings. 

            "Ugh, it's so not fair that you now have the most popular guy in school right across the street! Hey, wouldn't that be weird if he was the most popular guy in the world?"

            Riley laughed. "There are surprises around every corner! But I think that that's actually Harrison Ford, not Jeremy Bradford."

            Shawn giggled. "We'll have to stalk Harrison after graduation. We'll wear all-black…."

            Riley interrupted, "… in broad daylight…."

            "… and carry guns…."

            "… that are really cameras that are spray-painted black…."

            "… and walk right behind him…."

            "… and hope he doesn't notice!" Both girls burst into laughter as they envisioned themselves stalking _anybody_.

            "Oh great, Lana's done," Shawn groaned as she got up and stepped towards the door. "Have fun with Jeremy!"

            Riley hugged her friend as she left the room, then ran to the window and pushed it open. Shawn ran out to Lana's car and, with one last wave, jumped in and was gone. 

            Jeremy suddenly appeared in his driveway and began dancing about to get Riley's attention. When he had it, he waved for her to come over. Riley laughed and held up her hand, signaling that she would be over in five minutes. 

            Her CD player was sitting on the "LotR" box. She had yet to put it away. As Riley approached the box to get the movies, she grabbed her camera and laid her hand on the box and instinctively looked up to check her reflection in the mirror. There was none, and Riley later wondered why she had not noticed the different climate beforehand. 

            Riley was too startled by a horse and rider racing at her to yell in alarm. She jumped to the side, at the same time spinning to see the rider as the horse went past. 

            She only caught a glimpse of gold hair before she fell to the ground and lost consciousness. 

***

            Riley was alone when her eyes finally opened. Her first thought was, "Oh gee whiz, I've died and gone to Rivendell!" It indeed appeared that way. She was lying in a soft bed below carved beams of rich-looking wood. A light breeze was wafting in from an open doorway that showed a balcony that allowed you to look out over… "Oh my gosh!" Riley shrieked as she jumped out of the bed. 

            Her bare feet hit the floor and that is when she realized that she was wearing a thin white nightgown, and her clothes were draped over a chair in the corner. Riley grabbed them and quickly changed into her jeans and yellow t-shirt, praying that no one would walk through the door. 

            Determined to find out where she was, Riley slipped out of the thick oak door, not even realizing that she was still barefooted. 

            Her feet slapped down a stone-tilted floor, and she vaguely noticed paintings and carvings of Elves on the walls. As she reached the end of one corridor, Riley found herself with a decision to make. Go left, and she would be outside and in danger of running into real Elves, which would put an end to the slight hope that this was just a dream. Go right, and she would undoubtedly become lost in the winding halls. 

            Riley shrank back into the more familiar corridor behind her. "Okay," she thought to herself. "If I go left, I'll find out that it's just a dream faster than if I go right. But if I go right, I'll just get lost and end up in some forbidden room. Wait a sec! Come on, you've always wanted a dream like this… how the heck did I get in this dream when I was on the way across the street to Jeremy's? You wuss, you've always wanted to see Elves… you prayed for it!" Without letting herself analyze it further, Riley sped left around the corner….

            And ran right into the most beautiful person she had even seen. His bright blue eyes seemed to burn through to her very core….

            "Legolas! Gee whiz, you scared me half to death!" Riley slapped the Elf playfully on the arm before she thought about what she was doing. 

            Legolas was obviously startled by the strange girl hitting him, when she was the one who had run into him. "I am sorry, but have we been introduced previously?" he asked politely.

            Riley fought the urge to giggle when she heard his voice. The sound tickled its way from her ears to her heart. "Um… no, we haven't. But I've read about you. Nice to meet you." She stuck her hand out, half-expecting the Elf to shake it. 

            But he just looked at it confusedly. Riley noticed his hesitation a moment later and embarrassedly lowered her hand. They stood silently for a few minutes while Legolas studied the young woman before him and Riley wondered how to say, "Well, you see, I'm from a different world…."

            "How is your head?" Riley blinked when she realized that Legolas was talking to her. 

            She rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, um, it's all right. What happened?"

            "I was riding towards Rivendell when you suddenly appeared. I attempted to slow my mount, but alas! It was not able to change speeds so quickly. You jumped out of the way, but hit your head. I brought you here, to Rivendell, and Lord Elrond healed your wounds. I had your things brought to your room."

            Riley longed to ask about the One Ring, but restrained herself, knowing that if it was not time, Legolas should not be alerted to his future. Instead, she checked her hands for the paper-cut and hangnail that she had recently acquired. They were completely gone. "Guess those are wounds here," she thought, and then something clicked. "My things?" she asked. 

"Yes." Legolas walked past Riley towards her room. Once inside, he pointed to a corner. "There. I expect you will find everything unharmed."

            Riley gaped at her "LotR" box with her camera and CD player sitting on top. "Oh my word," she murmured. 

            "Lord Elrond wishes to speak to you. You may wear some of the clothes in the drawers, or your own clothes, if you wish."

            "How do you know El… Lord Elrond wants to talk to me? I just woke up!"

            "He asked that you be brought to him when you awakened."

            "Oh." Riley raised an eyebrow. "What would you suggest I wear," she teased. Legolas's face barely registered his surprise at the slight flirtation. "Stupid Elf composure," Riley thought. Still, she almost appreciated his comment that the blue gown would look lovely. "Okay, thanks. Uh… how do I find Elrond? Oh, sorry… _Lord_ Elrond."

            "I will wait for you outside…" Legolas said. He was about to use her name, but hesitated when he realized that he did not know it. 

            "Riley," she supplied. 

            The name rolled off his tongue. "Riley."


	3. Trying to Explain

Chapter Three – Trying to Explain 

            Riley wished that there was a mirror in her room, because she wanted to see if she looked as beautiful as she felt in the long blue dress. It had a scoop-neck that rested on her shoulders, it clung to her waist, and rippled around her ankles. "Elves must be amazing if they got clothes and shoes to find me while I was unconscious. They're even comfortable!" she thought to herself as she once again denied her desire to walk out onto the balcony and gaze out at Rivendell. She was in Middle-Earth but somehow she felt no need to insist that it was just a dream. If it was a dream, then she was determined to not wake herself up, and if it wasn't, it was just the coolest thing to ever happen. Either way, Riley had made up her mind to enjoy it. 

            She opened the door and stepped out into the corridor. As he had said, Legolas was waiting for her. She saw the approval in his eyes as he glanced at the gown. Riley suddenly felt like the most beautiful girl on Earth… er… Middle-Earth. 

            "Are you ready to meet Lord Elrond?" he asked. His eyes lingered on the dress a moment longer than they should have, but Riley felt more uncomfortable when he met her eyes. 

            "Great, a crush on an Elf… that'll get you somewhere," Riley joked to herself. She took a deep breath, willing herself to keep eye contact with the Elf before her. "Yup." When Legolas did not move, Riley corrected her grammar, mentally noting that she would have to do so many times in the near future. "I mean yes."

            Legolas nodded and began walking. Riley tried to pay attention to where she was going, but found herself distracted by the historical and narrative decorations along the way. More than once, Legolas had to guide her away from a statue, lest she run into it. 

            They finally stopped outside a large door, deeply engraved with Elvish symbols and majestic figures. Riley stared at the door in wonder while Legolas knocked softly. The voices inside ceased, save one that bade them "enter". 

            Legolas stepped into the room, seemingly accustomed to spending time in that particular place. Riley followed him, fighting the urge to nervously cling to his hand. 

            "Lord Elrond, here is the young lady whom you wished to speak to," Legolas announced, stepping aside and motioning to Riley. 

            Riley immediately matched names with faces. Elrond was obvious; his wisdom and grace shone in his features. Beside Elrond there were two others in the room. Riley recognized the older man in a chair near the window as Gandalf the Grey, the Wizard. She almost giggled; he looked exactly as he had in the movie. 

            The only one she had trouble with was a young man standing just behind and to the side of Elrond. His grey eyes studied her with unmasked curiosity. "Oh my word, it's Aragorn!"

            Luckily, Riley's sharp mind made these connections in the time that it took to blink. She hesitated, not knowing whether to bow or to attempt to shake hands. 

            Elrond smiled as he stepped forwards. "Welcome to Rivendell, my dear. I trust you are feeling refreshed after your long rest?"

            Riley replied politely, "Yes, Lord Elrond, thank you. I understand you are the one who healed me."

            "Yes. Your body and mind healed quickly, but I am afraid that your spirit has been damaged for quite some time. If you wish, you may stay until it has had time to heal."

            Somewhat confused as to how her spirit could be hurt, Riley could only express her thanks for the invitation to stay. 

            "Now," Elrond began again, "we must speak of the manner of which you arrived in the forest outside Rivendell. I have summoned two whose council I trust; Aragorn, Isildur's heir, and Gandalf the Grey, a Wizard whom I have known for quite some time.

            Legolas is visiting from Mirkwood and, since he is the one you first appeared to, will join us for our discussion."

            Riley vaguely wondered if Elrond always talked so much as she took as seat at a round table. Legolas sat to her left, Elrond to her right. 

            "I suggest we start by your telling us who you are," Elrond said. 

            Riley glanced at Aragorn. He looked much younger than he had in the movies. "I bet this is before the Ring becomes a big threat again," she thought, then aloud, "Well, my name is Riley Ashton. I'm fifteen years old, um…" she couldn't think of anything else to say that would not reveal where she was from. 

            Unfortunately, this seemed to be a question that needed answering. "Where do you hail from, m'lady?" asked Aragorn.

            "Oh great," Riley thought. "That's kind of hard to explain, good sir. It would probably seem more truthful if I had my things with me. I mean, you'd be more likely to believe me."

            Elrond immediately called for someone to get Riley's "things". 

            "Riley," Legolas began softly, "how is it that you appeared suddenly where you had not been a moment before?"

            Riley was becoming frustrated with her own inability to answer their questions. "I honestly have no idea, Legolas. One second, I was in my room about to go to my friend's house, the next I'm trying to not get smushed by a horse!"

            "What were you doing in your room? Did you say anything significant?"

            Riley thought carefully for a minute. "No. I was kneeling, touching my 'Lord of the Rings' box and my camera. I…."

            Elrond and Gandalf looked startled. "Lord of the Rings?" Gandalf exclaimed, rising from his seat. 

            "Oh no," Riley groaned, leaning her head against the table and smacking it several times. Legolas touched her arm comfortingly, and gave her a reassuring smile. 

            "Of what 'lord' do you speak, Riley?" Gandalf demanded. 

            "Um…" Riley raised her head slightly and looked at the Wizard through her hair with a tortured look. "Sauron?" Riley did not think that the name would taste so foul or feel so wrong. And it clearly had the same effect on the others. 

            The messenger that was sent to Riley's room chose that time to enter carrying the cardboard "LotR" box, camera, and CD player. He set them down on the table and left, closing the door behind him. 

            Riley felt awful. She had half-given herself away with the innocently mentioned box. 

            Now the others looked at her warily. They had been willing to trust her, but she was not so sure that they would now. Silently, she stood up and opened the box. 

            Out came the "Fellowship of the Ring" shoebox. It was opened, and she handed the pictures and posters to Elrond, but kept the book in her own hands. 

            As Elrond and Gandalf's confusion grew, Riley began trying to explain. "Where I come from, you all are just characters in a story. The story is called 'Lord of the Rings' and they are probably the most popular books in the whole world. This is the first book," she said, holding the book up. "It's called 'The Fellowship of the Ring'. There's actually another book too besides the three LotR books. It's called 'The Hobbit' and is about Bilbo Baggins…"

            Gandalf stopped her. "Bilbo? What do you know of Bilbo?"

            "He's a Hobbit who lives in Bag-End in Hobbiton in the Shire. Judging by the looks of things, I'd say that it was about fifty years ago that he went to the Lonely Mountain."

            Before Gandalf could ask more, Elrond asked, "My daughter is in this picture. Why?"

            Riley carefully sorted out her answer before replying. "Arwen plays a small but important role. Other than that, I cannot tell you anything."

            "This is Frodo!" Gandalf exclaimed. "And Samwise Gamgee…"

            "And Meriodoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took," Riley finished. "You are also there, Gandalf, as are Legolas and Aragorn and Gimli."

            "And the Nine," Aragorn murmured.

            "Yup," Riley said, hoping to make them realize that she could not tell them much more without giving away their futures. "Uh, I'm sure that this isn't the best place to take a break, but I'm really hungry."

            "I am sorry, of course you need something. You were asleep for two days." Elrond rose and motioned for Legolas to call someone. An Elf soon joined them and was instructed to lead Riley to the banquet hall where she would find food already prepared. 


	4. Revelations

Chapter Four - Revelations  
  
Riley had somehow found her way back to the meeting room without any directions. She was no longer hungry. Who knew that Elves could cook, much less make a gourmet meal in twenty minutes? She had also been informed that it was about one o'clock in the afternoon.  
  
Voices could be heard coming from inside the meeting room, and Riley walked quietly to the door to make sure that she was not interrupting something important by knocking.  
  
Gandalf was speaking at the moment. "Do you really think that it is that obvious? She healed quickly and has much grace, yes. But is she that close?"  
  
"Galadriel gave me a detailed description of what she saw in the mirror. A young girl who is of the race and a world of men, yet her actions would be Elvin-like. And the one thing that I think makes it clear that it is her is her eyes. They hold all the stars, as Galadriel said the Elfin Child would. I am sure of it. Riley is the Elfin Child." Riley gaped at Elrond's revelation.  
  
"Oh great, now I'm eavesdropping (I ain't been dropping no eaves, sir, honest) on Elves!" Riley chuckled silently as her own thoughts brought up the look on Sam's face when he had defended himself against Gandalf's accusations.  
  
Riley quickly knocked on the door before she made enough noise to get caught. The voices stopped immediately and Aragorn opened the door.  
  
He smiled and teased, "You found your way back alone now, did you?"  
  
Riley laughed. "Yup! Aren't I smart?" She felt as thought she swept into the room, her spirits were so high. The people in the room took their seats once more, and Riley suddenly felt her light mood begin to dim. She fully felt the pressure to tell all she knew engulf her.  
  
Perhaps Legolas could see her dilemma. "Riley, you do not have to tell us what you feel you should not. But we ask that you answer honestly."  
  
"I would never lie to you," Riley insisted. "We had never met, but I have always considered you my best friends. I know that's a little weird, I mean strange, but I was never able to really connect with anyone from home."  
  
"What is your home called?" Gandalf asked.  
  
Riley thought about how to answer. "I live in Rolling Crest, Washington. That is in the country the United States of North America, and that is on the planet Earth."  
  
"Where is Middle-Earth?"  
  
Riley had to keep herself from groaning that she had already told them this. "Middle-Earth does not exist to the other people in my world. It is a fictional place from well-known story."  
  
"Forgive us for this, Riley, but you must admit that from what we've see so far, you could have put together a story of your own so that you could gain our trust," Elrond said, and Riley hoped that he wasn't about to ask the impossible of her. "Is there any way, in the form of an object, that you can prove what you say? Is there something in your box that your world has and we do not?"  
  
For a second, Riley panicked. Then she remembered two things. "Well, I don't know about my camera, but we could try it." She stood up and reached over and stood Legolas up with her. "Come on. Now, Elrond, if you would be so kind." After Riley had them all lined up, she began to explain while she set up her camera on the table. "Okay, now this little red light is going to flash right before a really bright light blinks at you, okay? If you want, you can smile or something, but you don't have to."  
  
Riley set the timer on her camera then ran back to stand in the middle of the others. She smiled excitedly as the flash went off. Then she turned to look at her "friends". The Elves were closing their eyes with a pained expression on their faces, and Aragorn and Gandalf were frowning and blinking.  
  
"Sorry about that. I also have my CD player. It isn't painful at all!" She grabbed her CD player and turned the volume up as high as it would go, then pressed the play button. "May It Be" by Enya came through the headphones loud enough to be able to be heard clearly.  
  
Legolas looked at Riley in amazement. "It is you."  
  
Hoping for an explanation of the "Elfin Child", Riley asked, "What's me?" She shut of the CD player and set it down on the table.  
  
"You are from a different world," Legolas answered smoothly, hiding the fact that he was lying so well, that Riley would have given herself away again if she had pressed further.  
  
"Oh. Yup, glad you agree with me."  
  
Elrond nodded. "I expect there is little else that you may tell us about your world without endangering yourself. Legolas will take you to your room, however, you are welcome to move about as you wish. And since you have nowhere else to go, you may stay in Rivendell as long as you wish. Now, if you will excuse me, my daughter arrives from Lorien today. Welcome, Riley."  
  
"Thank you, Lord Elrond." Riley turned to Legolas expectantly after saying good-bye to Aragorn and Gandalf. They both bid her welcome and then departed, Aragorn mentioning something about walking in the gardens.  
  
Legolas led her from the room. As they walked down a hall, he turned to her with a strange look on his face. "You walk silently," he observed.  
  
Riley looked down at her feet. "Uh. okay. I never noticed that before. guess I've always done it." She shrugged and continued walking. A minute later, she heard the quiet sound of water running over rocks. "Do you hear that?" she asked, pausing.  
  
"I heart nothing that you should be able to hear, for you are human. It is quiet at that level."  
  
Riley gave him a withering look before racing down a hall to her left. She was surprised to find that her dress moved with her, instead of slowing her gait.  
  
After only a few seconds of running, Riley burst out onto an outdoor walkway. Veering off it, she flew through the forest until she reached a small river. There were people on the bridge upstream, so Riley threw herself on the ground behind a clump of bushes, pulling Legolas, who had followed her, with her.  
  
Riley peeked out from behind the bushes and realized that the people on the bridge were Aragorn and Arwen, Elrond's daughter. Riley strained to hear what they were saying.  
  
Aragorn was speaking. ". though I have dwelt in this house from childhood, I had heard no word of you save today, when your father mentioned that you were returning for a visit. How comes it that we have never met before? Surely your father."  
  
"We should not be witness to this," Legolas whispered in Riley's ear. She shivered at his closeness.  
  
"Stupid Elf perfectness," Riley thought. Then she answered, "I've already read about it, and I want to see it happen. Besides, we're not in the way." She turned back to listen.  
  
Arwen was studying Aragorn, and then she spoke slowly. "Do not wonder! For the children of Elrond have the life of the Eldar."  
  
Riley whispered, "Yet from that hour he loved Arwen Undomiel daughter of Elrond," before getting up and creeping away. 


	5. First Days

Chapter Five - First Days  
  
Riley spent most of her time out walking in the gardens. She would go out after the morning meal, and return for mid-day meal. She would do the same in the afternoons, and walk after supper, but the rest of her evenings she spent in the library or the Hall of Fire. She was determined to learn as much history and Elvish as she could.  
  
She also found herself having long talks with Gandalf or Aragorn, or even Elrond. She explained as much as she could about her world in exchange for help in her self-appointed studies. Legolas also seemed to appear just when she needed him.  
  
On her second day, Riley met two very important people. She spoke briefly with Gilraen, Aragorn's mother, in the library where she had gone to borrow a book for her walk out to the River.  
  
Gilraen was extremely proud of her son and loved him more than her own life. She was excited to meet Riley, as Aragorn had told her a little of the story behind Riley's "visit".  
  
That afternoon, while reading her book, Riley met Arwen. Riley had come to an Elvish phrase in her book that was not translated, and so was attempting to say it so that someone could explain it to her later on. "Merin sa haryallë alassë!" Riley said slowly, trying to memorize it.  
  
"Do you require a translation?" a voice asked.  
  
Riley looked up. "Oh, hello, Arwen. Actually, yes. I guess I don't have to memorize it now."  
  
Arwen smiled and repeated the Elvish phrase, pronouncing it correctly, then told Riley that it meant "I wish you have happiness".  
  
"Thanks. By the way, my name is Riley."  
  
"My father has spoken of you. I believe that there must be something very special about you for you to have made such an impression on him."  
  
"Oh, yeah. Well, it's kind of hard to explain and it takes a while."  
  
Arwen sat down next to her gracefully. "It is hours until I am expected anywhere. If it is all right with you, I would like to hear this story."  
  
So Riley told her everything that she had told the others, and she and Arwen spoke in length about Lothlorien and Galadriel. They were not nearly done with their talk when the bell for evening-meal rang. Arwen invited Riley to dine next to her, and they continued their discussion late into the night.  
  
On the third day, Riley went out into the gardens alone, carrying her mid-day meal with her. She walked far into the forest, so far in fact, that she wondered if she would be able to find her way back.  
  
She was just about to turn back when the sound of water reached her ears. She kept going towards the sound until she found herself at the bottom of a waterfall.  
  
"Yes," she whispered triumphantly, gazing at the water cascading down over the rocks. Riley threw herself down on the grass next to the pool at the bottom of the waterfall and sighed happily.  
  
The peace settled over her, and she suddenly thought of home. Well, if it was "home" anymore. Home is where the heart is, and at the moment, Riley's heart was completely intoxicated with Rivendell. Anyways, Riley wondered for the first time since she had arrived if her parents were wondering where she was. Oh well, she certainly didn't miss them. Not yet, that is.  
  
Riley stood up and gazed at the waterfall. "It's so beautiful-l-l-l." Riley laughed as she heard her voice echo. Then she had an idea.  
  
"When the cold of winter comes, Starless night will cover day," she sang, not bothering to feel embarrassed; no one was around! "In the veiling of the sun, We will walk in bitter rain. But in dreams, I can hear your name. And in dreams, We will meet again."  
  
Riley twirled around, feeling the music as she sang it. She spread her arms and sang as loudly as she could.  
  
"When the seas and mountains fall, And we come to end of days, In the dark I hear a call, Calling me there. I will go there And back again."  
  
"You have a beautiful voice." Riley jumped and spun around just to come face to face with Legolas. He was smiling, his blue eyes dancing merrily.  
  
"Thank you; no one's ever told me that before." Riley smiled, surprised that anyone would compliment her voice.  
  
"Really? It would seem that anyone who heard your voice would want to listen to it forever."  
  
Riley blushed. "Well I don't sing all that much."  
  
"You should." They stood awkwardly for a moment. "This is my favorite place in Rivendell."  
  
"It's beautiful; very peaceful. It reminds me of a cove that I spend a lot of time in back home."  
  
"What is your home like, Riley?"  
  
Riley sighed. "Well. it's lost a lot of its natural beauty. Our houses are made of wood or bricks."  
  
An hour later, they were sitting in the grass, sharing Riley's food and talking. Legolas asked questions about Rolling Crest and, in return for Riley's answers, told stories about Mirkwood.  
  
"Do all dogs lack intelligence like Barton?" Legolas asked, making Riley laugh so hard that she fell back on the ground.  
  
"No," she managed to gasp between giggles. "My dog is particularly stupid. But I love him anyways."  
  
"You seem to have a certain amount of love for everyone and everything in your world."  
  
"Yeah, I guess," Riley answered somewhat distantly.  
  
Legolas studied her for a moment before asking, "What is it?"  
  
"Uh... my parents are kind of hard to love, at least for me." Legolas just looked at her. "They don't ever take me seriously. They don't listen to me, and treat me like I have no opinion. They don't treat me like a person. I mean, I can think for myself! They don't trust me with so many things, but I've never given them a reason not to! I mean, I'm their perfect child. I can't think of the last time I let anyone see me do anything wrong!" Riley sighed in frustration.  
  
"Have you told them that you feel this way?" Legolas asked.  
  
"I've tried, but they don't take me seriously. They act like it's just a phase, but it's not!"  
  
Legolas looked down. "Perhaps their actions are what damaged your spirit. You seem comfortable here, and you are healing."  
  
"I never feel like myself around my parents. That's why I sneak out; I can relax and act the way I want to."  
  
"That must be why you seem as if you've grown since you came here. You have had nothing holding you back."  
  
Riley smiled softly. It was the first time that she had discussed her problems with anyone. And if felt wonderful to let it all go.  
  
For the next few hours, Riley and Legolas explored the area around the waterfall. They hiked to the top and looked over the land.  
  
Riley followed the River with her eyes until she found the area where she guessed Arwen would later cross the water carrying a wounded Frodo.  
  
"Legolas," Riley started hesitantly. "What is the Elfin Child?"  
  
Again, Elf-composure won over surprise. "You heard them talking." It was more a statement than a question.  
  
"Yeah. But honestly, I didn't mean to. I was gonna make sure that I wouldn't interrupt something. I didn't mean to hear anything."  
  
"I suppose you would have read the prophecy somewhere among your studies. Lady Galadriel is wise beyond all in Middle-Earth. Some find her frightening." Riley nodded. Galadriel going into beserk-evil mode had scared her the first time she had seen "Fellowship of the Ring". "The prophecy says, 'Years ago in Middle-Earth, the Lady Galadriel foresaw the coming of the one that she called the Elfin Child. Although the Elfin Child was human, she would seem like an Elf. She would know things that no one else did, and understand things that all kinds thought impossible. She would be included in the destinies of many, and would leave a scar so deep in the hearts of those who loved her that they would never fully recover. She would come from a world of humans, one that was far away from Middle- Earth.  
  
"When asked what the Elfin Child would look like, Lady Galadriel would only say that she held all the starts in her eyes." Legolas paused. "That is a line of text that I found in a book after you first arrived."  
  
And so now Riley understood that while she had been destined to come to Middle-Earth, she had also been destined to break the hearts of anyone who loved her.  
  
"Legolas, is it true that Elves can die of broken hearts?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh that's just peachy," Riley thought sarcastically.  
  
And so ended the day that had seemed so perfect until she had opened her big mouth to ask about something she wasn't even supposed to know about in the first place. 


	6. Farewell to the Darker Road

Chapter Six - Farewell to the Darker Road  
  
Riley had been in Rivendell for five days when she found out about the Elfin Child. For the next two days, Riley kept to herself. She did not wish to leave these people who had been so kind to her with un-reparable wounds.  
  
And so she sat in her room alone for hours at a time, reading her books or going through her box.  
  
On the afternoon of the second day, someone knocked on her door. She went to it and opened it to find an troubled-looking Aragorn.  
  
"Aragorn! Are you all right?" she asked worriedly, motioning for him to enter.  
  
Aragorn strode in, looking at Riley with suddenly bashful grey eyes. "I have something to ask you, Riley, and I hope that you will not be shocked."  
  
Riley smiled knowingly. "Does this have anything to do with Undomiel, Estel?"  
  
"Aniron Undomiel," Aragorn replied in Elvish, knowing she would understand.  
  
"Yes, I know. It's in the books."  
  
"There are many things in your books. But can you answer my question? Are you under the impression that perhaps Arwen may feel this way about me?" The last thing Riley had expected in Middle-Earth is to have a nervous young Aragorn ask if she thought that the girl he liked might like him. Suddenly Aragorn seemed like any normal human from Earth, instead of the ever-wise future king she had always seen him as.  
  
"Aragorn, I cannot answer that question," she paused, "but I can help you find out on your own."  
  
Aragorn agreed to let Riley make plans for him the following day. And so Riley was pulled back out in the open.  
  
Riley loved the simplicity of life in Middle-Earth, and so she did not miss her world at all. That is, she missed Shawn, and even Jeremy, but her Middle-Earth friends and the atmosphere she was in made up for it entirely.  
  
Now, she wondered why she was tampering with Aragorn and Arwen's relationship at all, for she had told herself that she would not interfere with anything. "Too late, I guess." And with that, she ran off to find Legolas.  
  
At the end of her corridor, she turned right, her sense of purpose spurring her to be confident. However, she still had not been able to locate the dining hall on her own, and so found herself turning down unfamiliar halls trying to find a way out.  
  
"Great. You're such an idiot, Riley. It takes, what, three minutes to get to the dining hall, and you manage to get lost? You're so pathetic! Elfin Child, huh? You're as far from an Elf as you can get!"  
  
"Shut up," Riley muttered to herself, which did about as much good as a screen door on a submarine.  
  
The corridor was getting dark and stuffy. "I thought they weren't supposed to do this in Rivendell!" she said aloud. The shadows seemed to be watching her. "Aw, crud!" she exclaimed as her mind involuntarily brought up the memory of the aliens from "Signs". "Don't do that!" Her heart seemed to be beating as loudly as the drums in a war movie. Every wall looked like it was hiding an alien that wanted nothing more than to kill her.  
  
Riley's footsteps quickened until soon she was running down the halls as fast as she could in a dress. "Stupid Elfin Child!" No matter how hard she ran, her feet seemed determined to be silent. And non-existent footfalls were scaring her more badly than the imaginary aliens.  
  
The air began to become less thick, but it was still too dark to make the lurking shadows go away.  
  
Riley turned a corner..  
  
And ran into something. She shrieked in fear as she fell backwards and immediately curled up on the floor. "Can't you stupid Elves make any noise when you walk?" she yelled at Legolas, not really angry with him, just still scared of the hall behind her. Before Legolas could answer her, she scrambled to her feet and ran at him, grabbing onto his arm and holding tight.  
  
"I am glad to see that you have finally come out of your room. But what frightened you?" Legolas asked, his voice betraying his amusement to her.  
  
The comfort of having an arm to hold onto was slowly seeping into her, but before she though, she answered, "The aliens." Riley slapped a hand over her mouth.  
  
Legolas laughed. "Although I don't know what an alien is, I do not think that there are any here."  
  
Riley giggled and slapped Legolas's arm. "Don't tease, Greenleaf." The aliens vanished, leaving only a ridiculous memory behind.  
  
Legolas led her away from the dark corridors and back to the light, airy passages that were characteristic to Rivendell.  
  
"Legolas, if you don't have anything going on tomorrow afternoon, I was thinking about having a picnic with you, Aragorn, and Arwen."  
  
"I would love to join you, Riley. By the way, have you noticed that perhaps Aragorn."  
  
". likes Arwen? Didn't you hear me when we saw them meet on the bridge?"  
  
"You said that from that moment Aragorn loved Arwen."  
  
"Yup. And Aragorn came to me earlier to ask my opinion on what he should do, since he figured I would know. So the picnic is kind of a way for them to get to talk."  
  
Legolas smiled. "Does Elrond know you are doing this?"  
  
"Um. I need to find Arwen and see if she can go tomorrow. Can you get the food and stuff?"  
  
Legolas chuckled and nodded. "Are you going to be all right? You won't get lost again? I am worried, for some have said that they have seen aliens lurking around Rivendell."  
  
Riley snorted and ran down the hall, calling behind her, "See you tomorrow, Leaf!"  
  
Fortunately for Riley, Legolas had made sure that she was in a hall that she would easily recognize. It took her exactly twelve minutes to find Arwen (she had timed herself). Arwen was studying a book in the library, but looked up quickly when Riley approached.  
  
"Riley, I have found something quite interesting about you in this book. It indicates that you have a great hidden confidence. And here, in one inscription in Galadriel's hand writing," Riley sat on the bench next o Arwen and leaned over to see where she was pointing, "it says that that confidence will be brought forth when you meet your kindred spirits or, in a sense, your soul mates. And it is written in the Common Tongue, not Quenya like the rest of the entries in this work."  
  
"So it was written for me to find?" Riley asked, raising her eyebrows in amazement.  
  
"I take it to mean so, yes."  
  
Riley shook her head in disbelief. "When was it written?"  
  
"The book was completed over two thousand years ago." Riley's mouth fell open.  
  
Suddenly, Legolas appeared at her side. "Excuse me, ladies." Riley yelped in surprise as she fell off the back of the bench. Arwen was mildly alarmed at the reaction, but Legolas's eyes twinkled merrily as he offered his hand to Riley.  
  
Riley ignored it, however, and hauled herself to her feet. "Legolas, didn't I just tell you like, twenty minutes ago, to."  
  
". make noise when I walk? I did!"  
  
"Did not."  
  
"I did too!"  
  
"Not."  
  
"Riley, I did! You may ask Arwen if you wish; I am not lying to you."  
  
Riley looked at Arwen, who was, by that time, laughing at the playful bickering.  
  
"I am afraid that he did, mellonim."  
  
Riley glared at the Elves. "Leaf, why are you even here?"  
  
Legolas spoke, trying to control his laughter. "I came to ask if Lady Arwen is joining us tomorrow, because without her, there is not point in carrying out your scheme, Young One."  
  
"I hadn't asked yet. Arwen, Legolas, Aragorn, and I are going on a picnic tomorrow, and I was wondering if you'd like to come."  
  
"It sounds wonderful. I would love to join you."  
  
Riley nodded then turned to Legolas and shoved him towards the door. "Get going, Leaf!" 


	7. Of Flying and Singing

Chapter Seven - Of Falling and Singing  
  
Aragorn seemed back to his normal self the next day; all the nervousness he had allowed Riley to see had been conquered, and in the group's conversations, he was intelligent, witty, and comfortable. He was, in other words, back to the attitude that Riley had long ago assigned to him in her mind.  
  
When they gathered for their picnic, Riley suddenly realized that she had not chosen a location. She quickly pulled Legolas aside and asked what he suggested, since the only place she really knew about was the waterfall. And she was loath to speak to anyone of it unless it was Legolas; however, she kept these things to herself. In the end, Legolas suggested a small clearing in the woods a few minutes' hike away.  
  
When they reached the clearing, Riley grabbed Arwen's hand, ran out into the center of it, and began happily dancing about while Aragorn and Legolas spread blankets over the grass. Arwen watched her with sparkling eyes. Near the edge of the clearing, Riley discovered a patch of wild flowers and scooped them up. The flowers seemed to bob joyously when they were picked, and Riley vaguely wondered why flowers would be so happy to die at her hand.  
  
Riley bowed to Arwen, holding the flowers out to her and saying in as deep a voice as she could manage, "Beautiful flowers for the beautiful maiden."  
  
Arwen laughed and accepted the flowers. "Thank you, mellonim."  
  
"You'd think that was my name the way you always call me that," Riley teased.  
  
Arwen smiled gaily and said, "But that is what you are! If you had an elvish name, I am sure that is what it would be."  
  
Legolas suddenly entered the conversation. "She is the Elfin Child; perhaps she should have an elvish name."  
  
"Legolas, please drop the whole 'Elfin Child' thing," Riley said, sighing. She tried to ignore the hurt expression that flashed across Legolas's face. Which, by the way, proved impossible. Riley shifted nervously and finally gave up. "Sorry. I just don't see anything good about it. Do you wanna eat?"  
  
Legolas showed a small smile. "I will go help Aragorn prepare the food."  
  
He and Arwen began walking back to the blankets. Riley called that she would be there in a minute. She walked back into the forest and took a moment to soak in the smells of the trees and the earth beneath her feet. One particular tree caught her eyes. The branches began low and were strong; it reminded her of the oak tree that she had been using since she was five to escape her room.  
  
On impulse, she ran to the tree and pulled herself up into the tree. She hadn't gotten very far when she heard someone coming. "Okay, how can I tell that that's Legolas if I have never heard him walk?" Her instincts made her hold completely still and breathe silently. Legolas walked into sight a second later, looking around warily, as if expecting something. "He thinks I'm up to something!" she realized suddenly. "Whelp, I guess it's time to get down if someone's looking for me." She reached for a branch to get down, but she either underestimated how much balance she would need, or the tree just didn't like her, and she toppled off the branch she had been sitting on. She shrieked as she neared the ground and finally hit it with a thud. "Ow," she groaned, pushing herself up on her elbows. "Crud."  
  
Legolas put his hand on her back. "Are you all right?" Riley simply grunted, pushed herself to her feet, and smoothed her forest-green tunic she had chosen for the picnic. Legolas almost laughed. "What were you doing?"  
  
"Trying to fly," she said sarcastically. This time Legolas did laugh. "Shut up, Greenleaf." Then she looked up and yelled, "I hate gravity!" Legolas looked at her quizzically. "Never mind." She rubbed her neck. "Let's go see how Aragorn and Arwen are."  
  
"That is part of why I left. They seemed to need a moment alone, though they would never say anything."  
  
"Well, that's kind of why we're on this picnic, isn't it? So they can talk to each other?"  
  
"Yes, and it appears to be working. They seemed happy last time I saw them."  
  
"You were spying on them, weren't you?" Riley teased. Legolas blushed slightly, and Riley started giggling. "You were!"  
  
"I simply wanted to make sure that they would be comfortable alone together."  
  
"Well at least you have a story that makes it legit. But you were still spying on them. Come one." It didn't take long for them to be able to see their friends. Aragorn was saying something that held Arwen's interest, and whatever it was made Arwen laugh. "You were right; it looks like they're getting along great."  
  
"You didn't believe me?"  
  
"Well, Legolas, it's just human nature to be suspicious of anything that we haven't seen or experienced ourselves."  
  
Legolas's face was completely serious. "How old are you, mellonim?"  
  
"Fifteen, why?"  
  
"Human girls your age rarely have the level of insight that I have seen in you. You are truly amazing." There was nothing romantic of false in the way he said it. It was just admiration. And Riley felt like laughing from the sudden adrenalin rush that swept through her at the praise.  
  
"Well, thanks, Legolas. Um. come on. I'm starving." She smiled at her friend and ran out into the meadow. "Hey, guys," she said, flopping down on the blanket next to Arwen. "What's up?" Arwen raised an eyebrow and glanced at the sky. Riley laughed and shook her head. "I keep forgetting that y'all don't understand a bunch of the stuff that I talk about."  
  
"Does that not make you miss your home?" Arwen asked.  
  
Riley shrugged. "I miss some things, but I'm so much more happy here. I feel more content, like I fit. I felt lost in my world. So, no, it doesn't make me miss it."  
  
"Your spirit certainly has brightened since you came here. It seems to be healed," Aragorn observed.  
  
"Probably 'cuz I can be myself here," Riley muttered.  
  
"But you don't hate your parents, Riley," Legolas reminded her, sitting down next to her. "You dislike them, but in the end, you still love them."  
  
"Yeah, I know," Riley sighed.  
  
Arwen noticed the issues that Legolas was forcing their friend to deal with were making her uncomfortable, and so quickly interposed. "Riley, I heard you scream a moment ago. What happened?" Her look told Riley that she knew that, whatever the explanation, it was humorous.  
  
"I believe your words were that you were 'trying to fly'," Legolas reminded Riley teasingly.  
  
Riley rolled her eyes. "I fell out of a tree," she mumbled.  
  
They talked and laughed for hours, and Riley took pictures that she was sure she would be glad to have if she ever went home. She was soon convinced that Arwen at least cared for Aragorn as a very dear friend. And she suddenly felt a feeling growing swiftly within her, as if someone was trying to tell her that something was about to happen. Riley was curious as to what it was.  
  
She had been asked to explain why she occasionally called Legolas "Leaf". "Well," she had said, "I read this story on this. well, I read a story, and the person called Legolas 'Leaf'. I tend to call people by their last names if I'm frustrated or teasing. Greenleaf is such a mouthful. 'Leaf' just slipped out!" That had seemed to do it, and she supposed that she was now at least "allowed" to call him Leaf if she wanted to.  
  
Her mind had been wandering, thinking of different things that had been going on, but her thoughts came back to the conversation abruptly when she heard Legolas praising her singing. Riley immediately blushed crimson and lowered her head. But the next thing she knew, her three friends were urging her to sing for them. Unable to argue with all three, Riley quickly consented and began thinking of a song to sing.  
  
"May it be an evening star  
  
Shines down upon you.  
  
May it be when darkness falls  
  
Your heart will be true.  
  
You walk a lonely road,  
  
Oh how far you are from home.  
  
Mornie utulie.  
  
Believe and you will find your way.  
  
Mornie alantie.  
  
A promise lives within you now.  
  
May it be the shadow's call will fly away.  
  
May it be you journey on  
  
To light the way.  
  
When the night is overcome,  
  
You may rise to find the sun.  
  
Mornie utulie.  
  
Believe and you will find your way.  
  
Mornie alantie.  
  
A promise lives within you now.  
  
A promise lives within you now."  
  
At the end, Riley looked up to find her friends looking at her in amazement.  
  
"Oh, Riley, that was beautiful!" Arwen praised.  
  
Aragorn nodded. "You must sing in the Hall of Fire this evening. They will love you!"  
  
Later that afternoon, as they were walking back, Riley asked Legolas if he agree with Aragorn. "I do," he answered.  
  
Riley took a deep breath. "I guess I will then." She shuddered. "I'm nervous already."  
  
Legolas shifted the pack he was carrying and took her hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. "Do not worry, Little One. I will be there with you. You have no reason to fear people watching you; I see that once to are used to it, you will thrive on the attention. And you will do beautifully." 


	8. Finding my Confidence

Chapter Eight - Finding my Confidence  
  
Once again, Riley was standing in her room wishing for a mirror. She had chosen a light green gown and dressed. then decided on a different dress. then another, and another, and yet another. And so now she was standing in her yellow dress, looking at all the other dresses lying on her bed.  
  
Someone knocked on the door, and Riley quickly opened it. "Legolas thought that you may be more frightened than you should. Would you like some help?"  
  
Riley threw herself at Arwen and gave her a grateful hug. "Thank you!"  
  
Arwen walked towards the bed and laughed. "You have been busy, mellonim." She moved a pink gown and a green gown until she found a midnight blue gown that was lined with sparkling silver. "Ah, this is my favorite. A dress of the stars, is it not?"  
  
Riley smiled. "I was considering that one. It is beautiful."  
  
"And you will make it look much more beautiful. And we will find something to do with your hair. Although I have never worked with such short hair, I'm sure we'll find something."  
  
Riley laughed as Arwen helped her into the gown. Then, as an afterthought, she asked, "Arwen, Legolas knows me really well. Why?"  
  
"He cares for you, mellonim, as we all do. You are one of my dearest friends. Did you know that? When you care for someone, you notice things about them that others may not. Especially if you were brought up to be observant."  
  
"Like Elves?"  
  
"And Rangers."  
  
Riley grinned. "So what do you think about Aragorn?"  
  
Arwen smiled and motioned for Riley to sit on a stool while she searched through drawers in the wardrobe for ribbons. "He is. wonderful. Interesting to talk with, intelligent. He has just learned of his heritage, did you know?"  
  
Riley nodded. "He is also strong, and is wonderful with the sword. And he is handsome, don't you think?" she asked mischievously.  
  
Arwen's laugh was as close to a giggle as Riley guessed an Elf's laugh could be. "Yes, he is." Arwen had decided on an assortment of silver and gold ribbons and began weaving them into the girl's hair.  
  
"I'm really nervous, Arwen. I'm not really sure what I'm going to sing."  
  
"I do not think I can suggest anything that you know."  
  
"Well, I did write a song, but I'm not sure how good it is."  
  
"I'm done with your hair. Why don't you sing it for me?"  
  
Riley stood up, feeling the ends of the ribbons brush her shoulders. Her dress was long-sleeved, but the shoulders were cut out. It was a square- cut neckline and was fitted to her hips, then flowed down past her ankles. "Well, um. I finished this while I've been here." And so she sang the song for Arwen.  
  
At evening meal, Riley sat across from Arwen and Aragorn, with Legolas by her side. Arwen invited her father and Gandalf to hear Riley sing, and they readily accepted. More than one time during the meal, Legolas squeezed her hand under the table reassuringly. "Do not worry, mellonim. This will only serve to make you more sure of yourself," he told her.  
  
"Or make me hate my voice forever," she whispered back. Legolas only smiled at her in amusement and sympathy.  
  
After the evening meal, the four friends walked slowly towards the Hall of Fire. Riley hummed to herself as she listened to the others speak rapidly in Sindarin. She could understand just a little, but quickly understood that they were speaking of the Elfin Child. Riley continued humming and fiddled with the silver lining of her dress. Suddenly, Legolas turned and ran back down the hall.  
  
Alarmed, Riley asked, "Where's he going?"  
  
"Do not worry, mellonim. He simply has forgotten something and has gone to retrieve it," Aragorn said as he pulled lightly on her arm.  
  
Riley muttered an "oh" and continued walking, thinking to herself, "Since when does an Elf forget things?"  
  
When they reached the Hall, they chose a table near the performance area. Riley listened with interest to the different singers and performers. But Aragorn and Arwen were not going to let her stall. Before anyone else could begin, Aragorn leapt to his feet and called out, "I would like to introduce a friend who some of you know is the Elfin Child." A murmur ran through the Hall. "She is a bit nervous, so please be kind in your welcomes. Riley," he motioned for her.  
  
Riley rose slowly, smiling shyly. She hissed at Aragorn, "Legolas isn't here. I don't want to sing without him; he promised to be here!"  
  
Aragorn whispered, "And he is. Sing, mellonim." Legolas had taken his seat at the table and gave her an encouraging smile. Aragorn gave her a squeeze on the arm, and suddenly Riley found herself standing by herself. The normal nervous heat came to her hands, and Riley's heart sped up. So, since she couldn't look at the people and sing, she looked up, imagining what was past the ceiling, and sang from her heart to the invisible Being who held her at night.  
  
"There's a song that's inside of my soul. It's the one that I try to write over and over again. I'm awake in the infinite cold. But you sing to me over and over and over again.  
  
So I lay my head back down. And I lift my hands and pray To be only yours I pray To be only yours I know now You're my only hope.  
  
Sing to me the song of the starts. Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again. When it feels like my dreams are so far, Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again.  
  
So I lay my head back down. And I lift my hands and pray To be only yours I pray To be only yours I know now You're my only hope.  
  
I give you my destiny, I'm giving you all of me. I want your symphony. Singing in all that I am.  
  
At the top of my lungs, I'm giving it all back.  
  
So I lay my head back down, And I lift my hands and pray To be only yours I pray To be only yours I pray To be only yours I know now You're my only hope."  
  
As her voice faded away, Riley slowly opened her eyes and wiped a tear off her cheek. She hadn't been sure what to expect, but she was startled to find that everyone in the Hall was staring at her in pure amazement. Riley swallowed, beginning to think that this was one of those things that scar you for life, when someone began clapping. The applause was soon ringing throughout the hall.  
  
Riley felt like crying. She grinned and bowed slightly and let her eyes wander. She looked at as many faces as she could, then finally decided that it was time to sit down. When she reached the table, Arwen stood and hugged her and kissed her cheek. Aragorn smiled and hugged her, whispering words of praise in her ear. And Legolas swept her up in a hug and twirled her around once. "I told you that you could do it!" Riley giggled. And those gathered in the Hall continued to clap.  
  
***  
  
The four friends spent the next day together again. They explored the gardens, and Riley insisted that they stop at the meadow so that she could climb the tree that she had fallen from. In the early afternoon, Riley timidly asked if Legolas would give her tips on archery, and Aragorn in sword fighting. "I've done archery a couple times, but I only played with fake swords," she explained. And so the rest of the afternoon was spent practicing fighting techniques.  
  
Legolas, after watching Riley shoot a couple arrows that hit the outside of the target and bounced off, got the idea in his head that she was really a natural and just needed practice.  
  
However, sword fighting was a little different. In fact, it was rather pathetic. Aragorn explained the basics to her, and she felt fairly capable of pulling it off. until Aragorn handed her the sword. She fell over.  
  
So they abandoned actual swords for sticks. "At least I can lift it," she thought to herself as her stick flew out of her hand. When Riley wasn't dueling with Aragorn, Arwen was. And she could lift the sword.  
  
That night, the Elves of Rivendell urged Riley to sing again, and so that night they heard "May It Be", and as an encore, "Dreams". After the Hall, the friends walked slowly back along the passages towards Riley's room.  
  
"I think I should tell you about this feeling I've been getting," Riley said just before they reached "her corridor". "It feels like something important is going to happen very soon, but I don't know what it is."  
  
"We will discuss it tomorrow with Elrond then, if it worries you," Legolas replied as they stopped to bid their goodnights. Riley nodded and kissed Legolas and Aragorn on the cheek, a habit that she had formed soon after her arrival.  
  
Arwen followed her into her room. "I wish to speak with you of Estel, mellonim."  
  
"K," Riley said happily, flopping down on her bed. Luckily Arwen had become accustomed to the occasional slang that slipped from her friend's mouth.  
  
"My feelings for him have been growing every moment. I almost fear him."  
  
"You're scared of him?" Riley exclaimed. "Oh wait. it's the whole facial hair thing, isn't it?"  
  
Arwen laughed, but quickly became serious again. "Alas, I will admit only to you my true feelings. Riley, I love him."  
  
"Gee whiz, you fall in love fast! 'Course, Aragorn loved you the - oops."  
  
Arwen's eyes brightened despite herself. "What, mellonim? Please, I must know."  
  
Riley sighed. "The first time he saw you. He came to me a couple days ago and said, 'Aniron Undomiel'. That's why I planned the picnic. He wanted to spend time with you so badly that I felt like I should help."  
  
A small smile crept onto Arwen's face, but was suddenly replaced by despair. She sank down on the bed and covered her face with her hands. "A mortal. How can I love a mortal?" she cried.  
  
Riley smoothed her friend's hair. "Can you imagine all of eternity without him?"  
  
A tear slipped through Arwen's hands along with a whispered, "No, never."  
  
"Well then, there's your answer. All answers lie within the heart, Arwen."  
  
Arwen looked up and smiled. "Has anyone ever told you that you have understanding beyond your years?"  
  
Riley smiled back. "Yes."  
  
***  
  
"I do not know what this feeling may mean, Riley, I'm sorry." Riley sighed. She had woken up that morning only to find that the feeling was more urgent than ever. Whatever it was warning her of, she didn't have much time. She had quickly dressed in the midnight blue gown that she had worn when she first sang in the Hall of Fire and ran to Elrond's office. He had called a council of her friends.  
  
Riley fiddled with the "Fellowship of the Ring" book and glanced down at her box that held all her belongings. The feeling was pushing her to do something, and suddenly, looking at her things, she understood. "I think I know." Everyone looked at her curiously. Feeling like she was choking on her words, Riley said, "I think I'm going home." The feeling dissipated, silently confirming her words. She reached out and almost touched the box, but drew her hand back.  
  
Gandalf knelt down in front of her. "If you return, and you do not know where you are, or you need help, tell them my name and I will come for you." Riley nodded gratefully. Gandalf's words assured everyone that she really was leaving.  
  
Elrond laid an affectionate hand on her shoulders. "It was our pleasure to know you, Mellonim."  
  
Aragorn gave her a hug and whispered a thank you; Arwen hugged her and kissed her cheek, and reminded her that she was one of her dearest friends.  
  
Legolas took her into his arms and whispered, "Keep singing, Little One."  
  
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She knelt down by her "LotR" box and held her hand above it. "You are my best friends. I wish I didn't have to leave, but I don't think that Fate is giving me a choice. I love you all." She dropped her hand towards the box, but stopped short as she remembered something. "Oh, and, Arwen, all the answers lie in the heart." The last thing she saw was Legolas's sorrowful sky-blue eyes gazing at her. And she thought at him, desperately wishing he would hear, "Thank you for helping me find my confidence." She touched the box.  
  
Then she blinked, and found herself staring at her reflection in the mirror closet doors of her room in Rolling Crest, Washington, in the United States of America, on Earth.  
  
And she still had on the midnight blue gown that she had worn the night that she found her confidence.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ A/N: This is not the end of the story. Oh, no. It goes on for a very long time. But this is the end of what I will call "Book 1". I hope to have "Book 2" started within the next couple days. Good-bye, and may you find your confidence. 


	9. Inbetween Realities

A/N: Welcome to Book Two - the continuation of The Traveler - The Lord of the Rings.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter One - In-between Realities  
  
Riley had only tried to tell two people about her adventure: Shawnna and Jeremy. At first they regarded the story as entertainment; something that Riley had cleverly detailed so as to make it seem real. But when their friends began to become emotional about her "friends" in Middle-Earth, they started to worry. And, one day, when they about to take the matter seriously, Riley remembered a little detail. She had taken her camera with her on her "trip". Since the gown was not enough to convince her friends, she demanded that Jeremy drive her to the "One Hour" photo shop. She waited impatiently outside the store, and Shawnna joked that the store was lucky that they weren't busy, because Riley would probably have gone mad.  
  
When she finally got her pictures back, Riley literally threw the first few, which were of Shawnna's birthday party, to the sidewalk. "Hey!" Shawnna cried, retrieving the pictures. But she became silent when she saw the first picture in Riley's hands.  
  
Four men looked confusedly at the camera, with an excited Riley grinning in the middle. The next picture was of an elegant room with a large, plush-looking bed in the center. On the right was a wardrobe, and to the left was a doorway to a balcony. In Rivendell.  
  
The pictures ranged from trees and fountains to Elves and Men. But one picture, Riley stopped at. It was a picture of her with her eyes closed and hands clasped together over her chest. Her mouth was open..  
  
Riley could still hear the words of that song ringing in the air. She had not noticed anyone take a picture, but she guessed that the camera was what Legolas had "forgotten".  
  
The pictures were all Shawnna and Jeremy needed to at least consider believing the miraculous story.  
  
The next three years passed, and Riley's life was drastically changed in that time. She became more aggressive when she dealt with her parents, refusing to let their beliefs intrude on hers. She firmly informed them one day that a talent agent had approached her and asked her to audition. And that had been a month before. Riley calmly explained to her parents that the singing career that the record company had offered her was what she wanted to do. They did not have to be supportive, but she could not move forward with her career without her guardians' signatures. Now, you must understand that Riley's parents were not as unkind as the previous recordings have made them out to be, but, rather, overly strict. And, since they believed that Riley would look in horror on the "evilness" of the business and come running home, they signed the necessary documents and their daughter began her life as a singer.  
  
Jeremy had graduated, and so Riley asked him to be her traveling companion. He accepted and together they left on Riley's short journey to fame. For, with a voice as sweet as windchimes in a quiet forest, who could not love her?  
  
Riley was always open with her beliefs and what she liked and disliked. People described her as "cute" and "adorable". There were those that disliked her musical style, but even fewer did not respect her for her complete honesty in everything that she did.  
  
Riley soon realized that she set the trend for all of her followers. Her taste in clothes was unique and modest, allowing her fans to be "original" and to express themselves without alarming the adults. From wearing almost no make-up at all to sporting dark, glittering eye make-up and dark lipstick, Riley did what complimented her style. The term "goth" was put into a different classification when she felt like wearing darker colors.  
  
Riley was friendly and witty, confident and sympathetic. She was everyone's best friend, and everyone was her best friend.  
  
When Riley found that her memory of and belief in her trip to Middle- Earth began to fade, she started recording everything about it, from her clothes and hair to the places she had seen and her friends. And throughout the three years, she never forgot, and always missed, those people that she had had to leave.  
  
***  
  
"Riley, how do you manage to stay in shape when you eat as much junk food as you do?" Anna Myers, the host of the Anna Myers Show, a popular morning television special, asked.  
  
Riley inwardly laughed at the blunt question. She preferred bluntness to being babied and sweet-talked to. "Well, Anna, I think I just have a fast metabolism. Either that, or God has a reason to keep me skinny!" Anna laughed along with the audience. Every time somebody laughed at her jokes, or applauded something about her, Riley felt a thrill and remembered Legolas telling her that once she was confident in herself, she would thrive on being in front of people. And she did.  
  
"One last question before we go, Riley; you are so perfect. You have not slipped up once, not in your clothes, what you talk about, or how you treat people. How do you appear so perfect while in the midst of the temptations and bad influences?"  
  
Riley had heard this question before, phrased a thousand different ways. And she had long ago devised an answer that was vague, yet positive. Jeremy teased that she should be a politician. "I'd say that I am in- between realities, Anna." She had also learned to time it right. Anna was immediately signaled to "wrap it up", not giving her a chance to ask Riley to explain her answer.  
  
"Well, thank you for coming in, Riley, and happy birthday! Join me tomorrow, ladies and gentlemen.."  
  
After the interview, Dean, Riley's Frankenstein-ish bodyguard, escorted her to a photo shoot in downtown Manhattan. By the end, Riley was exhausted.  
  
Jeremy showed up near the end of the shoot. Riley smiled at him as the photographer positioned her arms in an odd pose. "Do not smile! You are destroying my work!" cried Adriel, the "weird Italian dude with the one eye and no hair", as Jeremy called him. In truth, Adriel only wore an eye patch for effect. He had both his eyes.  
  
"Sorry," Riley said humbly as she wiped her face clean of all emotions. After a little over a year dealing with different kinds of people, she had become somewhat of an expert in identifying strangers' personalities and moods, and how to act around them.  
  
"Now I am ready for your facial expressions," Adriel announced as he took his place behind the various cameras. "I want you to start with that 'in-between realities' look you get sometimes. Okay, here we go. Music!" So Riley thought of Middle-Earth. That was what "in-between realities" meant to her. She was not in Middle-Earth, but her thoughts her constantly there; she was on Earth, but she did not feel as if she was. Everything went in slow motion, which made it easy for her to analyze a situation and handle impressively. In short, appearing perfect came as naturally as walking (although she tended to run into things).  
  
Riley slipped into her faded jeans and paint-spotted sweatshirt that sported the quote "They say the right guy will come along; I think mine got hit by a truck". Her worn sneakers felt familiar, and Riley had an ironic thought pass through her mind. She could have worn anything in the world; she had the means. But instead she had chosen to wear clothes that were no less than four years old.  
  
Riley's hairstyle had stayed almost exactly the same, though it was cut to look more "choppy" and had been highlighted with sun-in, making her hair seem a brilliant copper. Jeremy kept telling her that it made her eyes more green, and there would be no doubt in people's minds that she was mostly Irish.  
  
There was a knock on the dressing room door and Jeremy called, "Hey, Ri, you ready to go?" 


	10. Gypsies and Jiminy Hobbits

A/N: Sorry that it took so long, but, hey, it's here so stop fussing! Don't worry, all things will be explained in due time (however, if you don't believe me, feel free to email). Power to the Hobbits! "Skater Boy" belongs to Avril Lavigne. I'm gonna go pout. Enjoy the story!  
  
Chapter Two - Gypsies and Jiminy Hobbits  
  
"Derek, I don't mean to be rude, but could we hurry this today? I'm starving to death here!" Riley said as she picked up her bow and quiver of arrows and walked to the indoor practice range in the back of the Hunters Supplies shop.  
  
Derek, a tall well-built archery instructor, grinned and teased, "Need to add more fat?"  
  
Riley sucked in her stomach, rolled her eyes back, and said in a faint voice, "I'm wasting away. Soon there will be nothing left of me." Then she grinned evilly, pointed at Derek, and raised her voice menacingly. "And they'll all blame you 'cuz you kept me from eating dinner!"  
  
Derek laughed and motioned for Riley to take her place next to the safety line on the floor. "Let's try a moving target. Okay, do your little 'Lord of the Rings' imitation," Riley rolled her eyes and strapped the quiver to her back, "and, for Pete's sake, Riley, lighten up on the poor ducks!" The first time Derek had said "for Pete's sake", Riley had naturally assumed that it was just a figure of speech. That was before she had met Peter Cushe, the guy in charge of the targets at the range.  
  
After ten minutes of shooting fake ducks and avoiding the moving Legolas heads that some of the guys teased her with, Riley was shoved out the door and commanded to enjoy the rest of her birthday.  
  
"I was enjoying it!" she yelled at Derek as he put up the "closed" sign to get her to leave. They both stuck their tongues out at each other, and Riley left.  
  
The rest of her birthday was spent having dinner with Jeremy and relaxing in her apartment. She had just finished touring the U.S. and had decided to "settle" in Manhattan. So after a quick visit home and one last world-viewed concert for the fans, Riley would take a "break". Of course, who could call her "break" relaxing? Photo shoots and interviews and private performances would take up most of her time for the next two months, and in her spare time she was expected to write at least five new songs. After the two months were up, she went to work on her new CD. Fun.  
  
"Hey, Ri, this guy's talking to you. It sounds like he knows you," Jeremy called from Riley's living room. He had her laptop open and was lounging on the couch.  
  
"What's his screen name?" Riley asked, sticking her head out of her bedroom.  
  
"Nightvulture07."  
  
"Oh, yuck!" Riley exclaimed, running out of her room and jumping on the couch next to Jeremy. "This guy is such a jerk. He keeps talking to me and saying evil things." She shuddered.  
  
"Have you blocked him; warned him?"  
  
"Yeah! He just gets a new screen name and tries again!"  
  
"Okay, well I'll talk to him and be really rude for you, okay?"  
  
"K. I'll make coffee."  
  
A few minutes later Jeremy laughed and called, "Ri, he says he's dead sure who you are and you've totally given yourself away."  
  
"Who am I?" Riley sat down on the couch and handed Jeremy a Gilmore Girls-size coffee mug.  
  
"Chelsea Clinton." Riley snorted and read the next line that Nightvulture07 sent.  
  
And I know Elvish (you obviously love Lord of the Rings, since that's all you'll talk to me about). Wanna hear some, baby?  
  
Riley laughed and instructed Jeremy to type, "The most simple Elvish word that I have ever heard is 'mellon'. What's it mean, Bird?"  
  
Nightvulture07 immediately signed off. Riley shook her head. "I don't think he'll bother me anymore."  
  
"Nope. So for your birthday, you wanna have a 'Lord of the Rings' marathon?"  
  
Riley grinned and jumped off the couch to find the first movie.  
  
***  
  
"Shawn!" Riley yelled as she walked through the airport towards security.  
  
Shawnna waved from behind the security barricade and Riley motioned for her to be let through. Riley dropped her backpack (which was retrieved by Dean) and raced towards her friend, wrapping her arms around her happily.  
  
About thirty fans screamed from behind the barricade, and Riley waved as she walked towards them, arms linked with Shawn. After signing autographs and posing for pictures, Riley and her friends (Dean included) piled into Shawnna's Volkswagen Passat.  
  
"So, Shawn, you haven't met the bestest bodyguard in the whole wide world, Dean. Dean, this is my best friend Shawnna."  
  
"Yeah, but everyone calls me Shawn. Pleased to meet ya!"  
  
Dean said a bashful hello, and then the two girls chattered the rest of the hour that it took to get home.  
  
At dinner that night, Riley found herself stuck once again in the familiar uncomfortable silence. In an attempt to start a conversation, Riley said, "The steak's great, Daddy. So are the mashed potatoes and Caesar salad, Mama. I still can't barbeque by myself. I have to go out or call Jeremy." The last part had been meant to be a joke, but all she got was two disapproving looks and polite "thank you"s. Riley picked at her potatoes, then asked, "So I was wondering if you were coming to Zip for my world-wide."  
  
Her parents looked at each other and her mom asked, "What is Zip?"  
  
"Well," Riley thought to herself, "it's a conversation," then aloud, "It's a club. Big flashy lights, good music. It's a hang out for the kids, since it doesn't serve alcohol."  
  
Her parents looked at each other again before her dad said, "I think we'll be able to come, Riley."  
  
"Really? Oh, awesome!"  
  
After dinner, Riley excused herself and went to her room, immediately going to the window and climbing out.  
  
She had only told Jeremy about "her" cove and how special it was to her. So Jeremy had tried his best to keep the cove hidden. That night, when she reached it, Jeremy was there, leaning against a tree.  
  
"Hey, Emmy," Riley said, walking to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and laying her head tiredly on his chest.  
  
Jeremy chuckled and stroked her hair. "If anyone else had called me that, I would have beat him to a pulp." He didn't bring up the fact that he had already guessed that dinner had not really gone well.  
  
Riley giggled, then sighed and closed her eyes. "I love you, Bro."  
  
"Love you too, Babe."  
  
***  
  
"So you guys have decided that you're siblings, and the reason that you are in different families is that.."  
  
"Gypsies stole me," Riley replied to Shawnna seriously. Jeremy nodded. The three, along with Dean, were relaxing in a limousine on their way to the Zip for Riley's concert.  
  
Shawn nodded and then turned to Dean, pointed to her head, and crossed her eyes. Dean chuckled and Shawnna giggled. And, since Riley could rarely help laughing when others were, she soon couldn't hold her own amusement in.  
  
When they pulled up along the red carpet, Dean stepped out of the limo, quickly putting on his "I'm-big-and-strong-so-watch-your-butt" face. Riley was next, and the screams became deafening. Riley grinned and waved, then motioned for the crowd to quiet down. It took a couple minutes, but soon they were all watching her quietly, ready to hang on her every word. Banners fluttered in the slight breeze, and T.V. cameras focused on her.  
  
Riley looked around, then yelled, "Y'all best get inside 'cuz it ain't gonna take me long at all!" The fans erupted into excited screams as they all pushed towards the doors.  
  
Thirty minutes later, Riley was looking in a mirror at her hair, just about ready to go onstage, when she heard Jeremy call, "Hey, Ri, look who came knocking on your door!" Riley turned, careful to move slowly so that a tech worker could attach a wireless microphone to her shirt.  
  
"Mr. Carroll!" she exclaimed.  
  
William Carroll grinned at her. "Well if my favorite student hasn't gone and made herself famous."  
  
Riley blushed and laughed. "How are you? And how's Amy? Oh," Riley's eyes glittered, "and when's she due?"  
  
Mr. Carroll smiled proudly. "She's due in March, she's doing great, same here, and we're gonna have a girl named Erin Riley."  
  
Riley squealed and hugged her teacher-of-the-past. Then she gasped. "Oh my word. After me?" William nodded. "Oh gee whiz, Will! Wait, did you know that my middle name is Erin?" Just then a crewman came running and announced that Riley had one minute until she was to be onstage.  
  
Riley back away slowly, waiting for Will's answer. He laughed and called, "No, I didn't. But I'm glad. Amy and I love you to death, Ri, and she's really grateful that you were her friend in school!" Riley grinned and waved at her friends as she ran towards the center stage entrance.  
  
***  
  
Riley had five minutes to change and let the hair stylist twist her hair into some intricate braids that made her hair look like it was longer than it was. She quickly pulled on a pair of fitted dark khaki pants and a tunic-looking, dark green shirt. The shirt was partly covered by a dark blue vest with a hood.  
  
She ran out and stayed as still as she could for the hair-stylist, then raced back towards the stage. She stopped just out of view to catch her breath, and jogged out to center stage. Chants of "Ri-ley! Ri-ley!" filled the air, and the little red recording lights of cameras shown throughout the room. Riley waved happily. She could barely make out her parents in the crowd, but they were there.  
  
The band began the song, and Riley sang, remembering to use her heart to fuel the words.  
  
"He was a boy.  
  
I was a girl.  
  
Can I make it any more obvious?  
  
He was a punk.  
  
She did ballet.  
  
What more can I say?  
  
He wanted her,  
  
She'd never tell.  
  
Secretly she wanted him as well.  
  
All of her friends  
  
Stuck up their nose.  
  
They had a problem with him baggy clothes.  
  
He was a skater boy  
  
She said, 'See you later, boy.'  
  
He wasn't good enough for her.  
  
She had a pretty face,  
  
But her head was up in space  
  
She needed to come back down to earth.  
  
Five years from now,  
  
She sits at home.  
  
Feeding the baby, she's all alone.  
  
She turns on T.V.  
  
Guess who she sees.  
  
Skater boy rockin' up MTV.  
  
She calls up her friends.  
  
They already know.  
  
And they've all got tickets to see his show.  
  
She tags along.  
  
Stands in the crowd.  
  
Lookin' up at the man that she turned down.  
  
He was a skater boy  
  
She said, 'See you later, boy."  
  
He wasn't good enough for her.  
  
Now he's a super star  
  
Slammin' on his guitar.  
  
Does your pretty face see what he's worth?  
  
Sorry, girl, but you missed out.  
  
Well tough luck, that boy's mine now.  
  
We are more than just good friends.  
  
This is how the story ends.  
  
Too bad that you couldn't see.  
  
She the man that boy could be.  
  
There is more than meets the eye.  
  
I see the soul that is inside.  
  
He's just a boy.  
  
I'm just a girl.  
  
Can I make it any more obvious?  
  
We are in love,  
  
Haven't you heard,  
  
How we rock each other's world?  
  
I'm with the skater boy.  
  
I said, 'See you later, boy."  
  
I'll be back stage after the show.  
  
I'll be at the studio.  
  
Singin' the song we wrote  
  
About the girl you used to know!"  
  
The end of the song was rather spectacular. The band played the last few bars in a crescendo, and then made the last note as loud as they could. Riley followed the crescendo, and sang the last word as loudly as she could. Fireworks shot off on both sides of the stage as Riley threw her head back and reach one hand up. Per the norm, her eyes were closed when the song ended.  
  
But all the screaming disappeared and was replaced by the quiet sounds of wind over grass, crickets, and little children playing in the distance.  
  
Riley's eyes snapped open and went wide. "Jiminy Hobbits, am I where I think I am?" 


	11. Attack of the Flying Cams

Chapter Three - Welcome Back, Mel  
  
And she was. Riley Ashton, known as mellonim or the Elfin Child to the Elves, was back in Middle-Earth. And once again, it had happened without warning.  
  
Looking at her surroundings, Riley mad the quite obvious assumption that she was in Hobbiton. She was standing in the middle of a deserted road that looked very much like the one that Gandalf would use to get to Bilbo's birthday party. That reminded her of something. "When is it? For all I know, it could be a thousand years after the War of the Ring!" Or before it, for that matter. Obviously standing in the road was not going to satisfy her curiosity, so Riley began walking in the direction that she was facing.  
  
Suddenly something hard hit her head. "Ow!" she shrieked. Putting a hand to her head and looking at the ground for whatever hit her, she found her tiny digital camera, which had more memory than her laptop did. "Oh my heck!" She grabbed it and studied it, then tilted her head back and squinted at the sky. "Um, thanks!" she called. "Okay. That was just really weird. Attack of the flying cams!" She giggled, and began walking again.  
  
She didn't know exactly where she had picked up the habit, but whenever she was hyper, or couldn't think of anything to say, Riley sang "Jingle Bells". Granted, she usually didn't sing it out loud, but it repeated itself in her head until it nearly drove her to madness. So there she was: a young girl in blue Sketchers, walking along with all the different versions of "Jingle Bells" she'd ever heard ringing in her head. Not to mention that she was from a different world. "Jeremy and Shawn would be laughing so hard if they could see this. Oh my gosh!" Riley paused. "I left in the middle of a concert. Okay, mental note: don't do that again!" She shrugged. Last time, she had gone back at the exact same time that she had left, so she might be able to cover this up, but for the time being, there was nothing to be done, so why worry?  
  
After a few minutes, Riley came out of the trees into what she guessed was the beginnings of Hobbiton, or at least the Shire. She only saw a couple of Hobbits at first, and their carefree faces informed her that it was most likely before Saruman took over. If only Hobbits were as carefree with strangers as they were in their own homes. The first Hobbit that she saw was an extremely fat, happy little fellow who was sitting on his doorstep. It reminded her of the beginning of "The Hobbit".  
  
Riley approached the gate and asked politely, "Excuse me, good sir. Would a Hobbit as intelligent as yourself be able to direct me to Mr. Bilbo Baggins' home of Bag End?" She chose her words carefully to keep suspicions low, and was rewarded for her pains when the Hobbit's face brightened at the praise.  
  
"Aye, miss, I can. Now you'll have to - oh, never you mind about directions. There's a young chap somewhere hereabouts that has been wanting to visit his friend; he's visiting, you know, but knows his way pretty well. Just you wait here a moment while I go find him for ye."  
  
After he had gotten up and gone inside, Riley laughingly muttered to herself, "Phew; I was starting to think that we were going to exchange life stories." She chuckled.  
  
Just then, two young Hobbits came running out of the little round door, and they promptly tripped over each other's feet. Riley bit back a laugh as the Hobbits leapt back to their feet. "Oh my word. It's Merry and Pippin!" Indeed, it was.  
  
Merry was the first to look at her, and he paused, taking a second to look over her. Riley took the opportunity to study him. She easily identified the intelligent yet mischievous glint in his eyes. And when Pippin looked at her, she could have laughed at his facial expression. His mouth fells open, and his eyes focused on her, but retained a somewhat distant look. Poor fool of a Took.  
  
"Hello," Riley said, hoping to get a response from the gaping Hobbits. "I am Riley Ashton, at your service." She gave a little bow.  
  
That got them going. Or at least, Merry started moving. He made a quick bow, having to jab Pippin in the ribs with his elbow to bring him back to reality. "Meriodoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took at your service, m'lady. Most call us Merry and Pippin," Merry said cheerfully, Pippin nodding in ready agreement.  
  
"A pleasure to meet you, good sirs. Would you, by any chance, be able to escort me to the home of Mr. Bilbo and Mr. Frodo Baggins?"  
  
"Frodo!" Pippin exclaimed. "Why, we were just going to pay a visit ourselves. He's my cousin, you know, once removed on his mother's side.." And so they began their walk to Bag End, with Riley half-listening to Pippin's chatter about how he and Frodo were related, half-examining the surrounding hills. By the time they reached the market, Riley's escorts were arguing about which one had the best plan for getting fireworks at Bilbo's birthday party. Riley's ears picked that up, and she immediately pulled her attention away from the overly curious and suspicious looks she was getting from the Hobbits in the marketplace.  
  
"When is Bilbo's party?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, it isn't for four days yet," Merry answered matter-of-factly. "And while we're on the subject, Miss Riley, why is it that you are wanting to see Bilbo and Frodo?" There was a pure look of curiosity on both Hobbits' faces.  
  
Riley didn't have to think long to come up with an answer. Part of her job, after all, was being able to answer questions swiftly, deftly, and as honestly as possible. "I am a friend of Gandalf the Grey's, and he instructed me to contact him if I was ever close again. He spoke of Bilbo a few time, and finding that I was in the Shire, I decided that the best way to find a wizard is to start with his friends."  
  
"You know Gandalf?" Pippin asked excitedly. Riley nodded. "I've only met him a few times myself, but he is frightening, if you ask me."  
  
Riley laughed. "I suppose he would be to people who don't know him very well." She thought about the first time she had met him, and how afraid she had been when he had demanded that she tell what she knew about the "Lord of the Rings".  
  
"When did you first meet him, if you don't mind me asking, miss," Merry said politely, and Riley could tell that he was trying to be on his best behavior.  
  
"No, I don't mind, but I do wish that you would just call me Riley. I met Gandalf at Rivendell about ten years ago."  
  
"You must have been a child, then."  
  
Riley shrugged. "I suppose so; I was fifteen years old."  
  
Pippin squinted at her. "You don't look like you're thirty-two."  
  
Riley laughed. "Well I should hope not! Even if I'd been living in your time I would only be twenty-five. But since I lived in my own time, I'm only eighteen; it has only been three years for me." It seemed like a fairly simple concept to her, but somewhere around "twenty-five" she had lost her Hobbit guides.  
  
They had been trudging steadily uphill, and finally reached the road in front Bag End. At the moment, Frodo was nailing the "no admittance except on party business" sign to the gate.  
  
"Frodo!" Pippin yelled, running forward to meet his friend.  
  
Merry was right behind him, calling, "Hello, Frodo!" Riley grinned as the Hobbits greeted each other. Their faces were so youthful and carefree; Riley felt a familiar pang as she wished that they didn't have to go through the whole Ring ordeal.  
  
Suddenly Riley realized that Merry had begun making introductions. He was sure to add that she was Gandalf's friend. Riley smiled kindly as Frodo's bright blue eyes looked up at her curiously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Riley. Please, do come in and meet my uncle Bilbo; he'll be delighted to know a friend of Gandalf."  
  
Riley had to suppressed excited giggles as she followed the Hobbits through the little round door in the hillside. She had cleverly hidden her camera in the belt on her tunic, and honestly hoped that she would not have to explain it to the suspicious Hobbits of Hobbiton.  
  
"Uncle Bilbo!" Frodo called, and immediately the patter of feet was heard coming up the corridor toward them.  
  
"Coming, coming. Well, my dears, what have we here? Merry and Pippin, welcome! And who is this?" Bilbo seemed quite out of breath when he reached them, but managed to get his entire speech out of his mouth in one breath.  
  
Riley laughed and bowed. "Riley Ashton, sir, at your service. I'm a friend of Gandalf's and was hoping that I might ask you a favor."  
  
"Bilbo Baggins, at your service, m'lady, and I'd be happy to help any of friend Gandalf."  
  
"Well, you see, I need to get in touch with him. It's rather urgent and I.."  
  
"Why, my dear, we're expecting him any time now. It's my birthday - my one hundred and eleventh, in fact - and he was going to bring fireworks. We were quite expecting him a few days ago, but who knows what pressing matters he has in the wizarding business." By this time, Bilbo had led his guests to the kitchen where he busied himself preparing a proper meal (tea, to be exact) for them all. "Now, Riley, how may I be of service?"  
  
"Well, you see, I came rather un-prepared. I have no place to stay, nothing to eat. No money, actually." Pippin's mouth dropped open at the mention of no food.  
  
"Oh, my dear, however did you get this far with no food or money?" Bilbo exclaimed.  
  
For this Riley had no answer. She searched for an explanation in her mind, but only one stood out. She took a deep breath, and, "Well, it all started when I was fifteen years old.." 


	12. Death to All Hobbits Named Merry or Pipp...

Chapter Four - Death to All Hobbits Named Merry and Pippin  
  
It took about two hours to thoroughly explain her story, and by that time she had only partly convinced Bilbo, Frodo, and Merry. However, Pippin did not believe her at all. He kept giggling and congratulating her on her "jolly good story". Riley merely rolled her eyes and said, "Thank you."  
  
Luckily for her, Bilbo was quite interested, and insisted that she stay in one of the spare bedrooms down the hall. Merry and Pippin were invited to dine with them that evening, and they all made a happy party, especially Bilbo, who found a ready listener in Riley. None of them got to bed that night until around eleven o'clock.  
  
Riley rolled over the next morning, sighing contentedly, and opened her eyes to find two faces watching her eagerly. She shrieked and rolled off the opposite side of the bed. She hit the floor with an "oomph!" and groaned. Well, the day had started out well.  
  
She rose up on her hands and knees and peered over the bed, hoping that the two rascals were still there, but no one was looking back at her. Riley sighed. "Come on out; I won't hurt you." Pippin's head peeked over the top of the bed, and Merry rose up just so that he could see her. Riley's smile immediately became evil and she yelled, "But I can kill you!" She sprang up and ran at the Hobbits, who yelped in surprise and alarm and darted out the door.  
  
Riley raced after them as they slammed into walls and rushed down the halls. At one point, they passed Bilbo, who was sitting at a desk with a book propped up in front of him. Pippin got distracted by the plate of berry cake next to Bilbo, and stopped abruptly. Poor Merry didn't have time to slow down, and he crashed into Pippin, sending them both to the floor. Riley checked a giggle and picked Merry up and held him still by an ear. She simply pulled Pippin up by his ear.  
  
They both cried out in pain and Pippin shrieked, "Don't kill me. I don't want to die!" Merry strained to look at her.  
  
Riley laughed and released the two. "It's all right. Just don't stare at me when I wake up again, okay?" The Hobbits nodded and ran out of the room rubbing their ears.  
  
"Were you really going to kill them?" Bilbo laughed.  
  
"I was considering it," Riley joked, then giggled. "I was just scaring them. I don't think they'll do it again. What are you writing?"  
  
"My book. It begins mostly with my first adventure with the dragon and - of course, you know that story. Have you written down your first adventure, my dear?"  
  
Riley had never thought of that. "No, I haven't."  
  
"Oh, well, you must. Here you are," he said, hopping off his chair and rushing to pull a few loose papers from a drawer, and arranging them with a pot of ink and a quill on the table next to the desk. "I hope that you can remember the details accurately. If you need any help in writing, let me know." Riley straightened her tank top, which the day before had been hidden under her tunic, and sank down in a chair. It took her a couple minutes to get used to writing with a quill, but as she wrote, every second of her first trip to Middle-Earth came pouring back to her. Of course, she didn't write down everything, but she included the waterfall, singing in the Hall of Fire, and even falling out of the tree by the meadow.  
  
It must have been hours before she stopped writing, and only then because Bilbo insisted that she eat. "I don't want Gandalf to find that his friend has wasted away. And in the Shire of all places!"  
  
***  
  
Riley completed her account of her first trip, and even summarized her life since then, in the next two days. When she wasn't writing, Frodo was showing her around Hobbiton. They actually became quite good friends, talking about whatever came to mind. Riley, for the most part, was accepted by the population. They found in her a person willing to sit and answer their questions and listen to their discussions about the local goings-on for hours. And that, obviously, made her relatively popular.  
  
Merry and Pippin had forgotten that they were afraid of her by the next day, most of which they spent planning her demise, and after that they tended to tag along whenever she and Frodo went anywhere. Riley, during a particularly hyper moment, put the "incident" into verse, ending it will, "And everywhere that Hobbit and Human went, the Two were sure to follow".  
  
On the morning of the day of Bilbo's birthday party, Riley and Frodo were walking along the lane that led toward the forest and talking, like usual, about anything and everything that came to mind. Riley had explained her camera to Bilbo, Frodo, Merry, and Pippin as simply as she could, and had already taken a few pictures. The younger Hobbits even volunteered to help distract people at the party so that she could take pictures without being spotted.  
  
"You should let others read your story as soon as you go home, Riley. It really is very interesting."  
  
Riley shrugged. "Thanks, but in my world, you can't just tell stories like that, especially not in my position. People start asking questions, getting suspicious. Pretty soon you go from a world-famous singer to a half- crazed author with a decent voice. I'd rather not give up my career just yet."  
  
"Strange that women in your world can earn a living just the same as the men. It is almost unheard-of here."  
  
Riley laughed inwardly as she thought, "Well, if I was big on the whole politically-correct deal, I would have to correct him and make sure he knew that it was different, not strange. Good thing I'm not; those things are so stupid!" Then aloud she explained, "Yeah, but women here are married fairly early in life, and simply depend on their father, then their husband. Women in my world usually don't get married until they're in their twenties. 'Course, that's pretty young for Hobbits, eh? Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Happy birthday!"  
  
Frodo laughed. "Thank you."  
  
After lunch, Riley went off with Merry and Pippin to find something to do. They ended up pulling pranks on the little children who were playing in a field. Riley felt bad about teasing the poor kids - that is, until those "poor kids" started fighting back.  
  
It all began with three little girls playing house next to a clump of bushes. Riley, using her Elfin Child gifts, crept up behind a bush with a bowl in hand. She angled the bowl just right .. then crawled behind another bush further away. With a glance at Merry and Pippin, who were hiding behind a few other bushes more than twenty feet away, Riley settled on her stomach and began speaking quietly towards the bow. The sound bounced off it and head towards the girls. "Hello, Little Children. Would you like to know a secret?"  
  
The little girls looked up in astonishment, and searched for whoever was talking to them, but not seeing anyone, one of the girls asked, "Excuse me, but, where are you?"  
  
Riley reached out and shook the bush with the bowl under it. "Here I am."  
  
The little girls' mouths dropped open and the same little girl who had spoken before nudged the red-head beside her. "Daisy-Belle, go get the boys." That's when the trouble started. Daisy-Belle came back with a group of six curious little boys, who immediately started searching for the source of the voice.  
  
Merry and Pippin, to their credit, did try to save her, but they failed utterly, and Riley had to make a run for it. If her legs hadn't been a good deal longer than the children's, she probably would have been caught. Instead, she had to dodge Frodo, and, being Riley, she tripped and fell face-first into a creek. She came up coughing and muttering something that sounded like, "Elfin Child my foot." She glared at her laughing Hobbit friend.  
  
Frodo's grin faded and he began backing up. "Now, Riley, I didn't mean any harm. Riley, don't look like that.. Riley?" Riley kept walking menacingly closer. "Riley!"  
  
She grinned. "I'll race you back to Bag-End."  
  
"You know that's not fair; you'll win for sure!"  
  
Riley giggled. "Well then I'll give you a one minute head start. Ready, go!" She was well aware of the fact that Frodo had not agreed to the race, but conveniently ignored that tiny detail. Anyway, Frodo did take off running, so it didn't really matter. When her watch claimed that a minute had passed, Riley began running as fast as she could. As soon as she was within ten feet of Frodo and thirty of Bag-End's front door, she and Frodo started calling friendly insults to each other. Riley's legs were growing weak as she passed Frodo just before the door.  
  
They both laughed as they sped through the door, but Riley stopped abruptly, causing Frodo to run into her, and both of them went tumbling to the ground.  
  
Riley jumped to her feet and waved excitedly to the two people in the kitchen. "Hey, Gandalf!" 


	13. Fireworks go BOOM!

A/N: Sorry that this chapter took so long. I started it right after I posted "Death to all Hobbits Named Merry or Pippin", but all of a sudden the time that I usually took to write disappeared. It was such a relief to finally get back and finish the chapter. I always feel so badly when I take more than a few days to write a new chapter. Anywho… on with the show (after a short message by um… me)!

Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own Legolas, and neither do you. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *cough, wheeze, cough*

**Chapter Five – Fireworks go "BOOM!"**

Gandalf had forgotten his suspicions about Bilbo's magic ring until Bilbo began talking about feeling "stretched" and fingering his pocket. It was amazing that Bilbo still looked almost as he had when he found the ring, especially at his age. "I need a holiday; a very long holiday, and I don't expect I shall return. In fact, I mean not to." Gandalf suddenly became aware that Bilbo was still talking. 

What happened next happened so quickly that all that registered in Gandalf's mind was a loud crash and a flash of colors. Then all of a sudden, someone who looked very familiar popped up and waved a hand. "Hey, Gandalf!" the girl called. Memory finally caught up with him.

"Riley!" Gandalf exclaimed, jumping up from his chair. 

Riley giggled and ran towards him, stood up on tiptoe, and wrapped her arms around the wizard's neck, hugging her old friend. (A/N: By the way, her clothes are magically dry now)

Gandalf's mind was churning with thoughts – questions. Why in the world was Riley back in Middle-Earth? The last time, it had seemed that she was sent so that she could build lasting relationships that would effect a change in her, but now Gandalf could not think of one solitary reason for the girl to have appeared just before Bilbo's birthday party, and ten years later. Although, now that he had a chance to actually study her, Riley did not look as though she had grown ten years older. In fact, she hardly looked as if she had aged at all. 

Riley was laughing as she pulled away, but kept her hands lying lightly on his arms. "My dear girl, how are you?" Gandalf asked good-naturedly. 

Riley's face beamed. "I'm great, and I have so much to tell you."

Gandalf smiled. "And I suppose that I will be asked about what has been going on with your friends."

Riley shrugged. "Legolas, mostly. I know Arwen went back to Lorien, and Aragorn has been wandering around in the wilderness doing Ranger stuff. But I don't know anything about what's been going on with you. Oh! Bilbo, it's almost time for _real_ tea, isn't it?" she asked, eyeing the pot of tea and the food spread on the table in the kitchen. Bilbo nodded enthusiastically. "Well, why don't you fill me in over tea? Although, I hear there's going to be an extra-special party tonight, so _some_ of us probably shouldn't eat too much." She looked pointedly at the two Hobbits. Bilbo smiled sheepishly, and Frodo gave her the typical innocent eyes. 

For the next couple of hours, that is all they did: tell stories about themselves and their mutual friends. For just a moment, Riley had been a bit worried about Frodo hearing about people in his future, but shrugged it off, too tired of monitoring her every word to really care anymore. 

After tea, Gandalf and Bilbo went off to have a smoke in the twilight while Frodo and Riley cleaned up. Then the party began. 

For a while, Riley helped to receive guests at the gate, but quickly became bored. She whispered something to Frodo, explained to Gandalf, and ducked behind a tent. Making sure that no one could see her, Riley pulled her camera from her belt. She had absolutely no idea how long she would be in Middle-Earth, but better safe than sorry. So she limited herself to seven pictures left to use in Hobbiton. That would leave her with room for at least a couple hundred pictures. No problem. 

A group of children – more specifically, the children she had been playing with earlier that day – entered the gate, and Riley quickly snapped a shot. A couple minutes later, Riley found Merry and Pippin, and they set about distracting the guests by running into them, bringing out different varieties of food, and by yelling "Goodyear Blimp!", which Riley had taught them. The crowd would look up into the sky for any sign of the "Goodyear Blimp" while Riley took pictures. 

She eventually joined in the festivities, enjoying the food and the stories. Frodo even convinced her to dance every now and then. She got to know Sam quite well, forcing him to put his shy nature aside in order to get him to talk. Every now and then he would glance behind or to the side to see if he could catch a glimpse of Rosey. His admiration was obvious, and Riley had trouble keeping herself from giggling as he flushed when he saw the pretty Hobbit dancing by. 

After a while, Riley got up and walked around, soaking in the sounds and sights and smells, attempting to imprint them in her memory, for she knew that in a very short time, this sort of thing would be no more. 

Suddenly, she heard a muffled thump, and something shuffling around for a few seconds. Then a soft voice saying, "No, no. Big one, big one!" Riley bit her lip to keep from laughing. It was show time. 

She crept towards the tent that she assumed Merry and Pippin had gone into with the flamingo firework. A voice shouting, "It is in the ground!" warned her to jump back, and she crouched, covering her head with her hands and trying to peek at the same time. 

With a loud hissing sound, the tent shot up from the ground, leaving two carbon-covered Hobbits. Riley laughed as the Hobbits gazed up at the firework in a daze. "Merry, Pippin, that was great!" she shouted to the two just before Gandalf caught them. Riley skipped off to enjoy the rest of a "normal" party. 

An hour later, Riley found herself seated next to Frodo, staring at Bilbo intently, determined not to blink until after Bilbo had disappeared. She, unlike the rest of the partiers, could easily read the stress flashing across the old Hobbit's face as he swung his hands behind him casually. She could understand so many more things than others could. Like the insult that no one had understood. "And I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." She had thought that was hilarious. It was like her being the only one to understand the bit in "Kate and Leopold" about Stuart thinking he had caused a pretzel, when the pretzel actually already existed. She got that, but none of her friends had. Odd.

By the time Bilbo had begun muttering about putting something off for far too long, Riley was sure that at least Frodo and Gandalf saw that something was wrong. Riley focused on Bilbo, shutting out everything else. He was there, and then suddenly, he simple _wasn't_. The special effects from the movie were nothing compared to it actually happening. This time, she could sense that he was there, even after he had disappeared, and could guess which way he was dodging among the crowd, but she couldn't see him. Another thing was odd. This was just turning out to be one odd night. How odd. Riley giggled to herself. "Oh dear. I'm losing it. Yes, Riley, you're really losing it this time. What? No, I don't have any spare socks!" Yup, she was going crazy. 

It seemed to take forever to get all the Hobbits to leave, and Riley purposefully ignored all the smuggled dishes as she hurried to get Frodo back to Bag-End. 

The rest of the evening was a breeze because of the familiarity. She and Frodo arrived to find Gandalf, who was currently visiting La-La Land and talking about "precious". The wizard hopped up and left Frodo with some very vague answers as to where he was going and why. Riley clenched her fists and held her arms tightly at her sides as the envelope containing the Ring passed her and she felt the urge to reach out and hold it. Aw, crud, this stuff wasn't supposed to happen to her! She was a Mary-Sue for goodness' sake! She couldn't be tempted by the Ring! "Wait, to be a Mary-Sue, you have to fall in love with one of the guys and live happily-ever-after or some junk like that. Ha! Gotcha there, Fate! I am not going to be a Mary-Sue." Yeah, Riley, keep thinking that. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sorry that this chapter is so short, and slightly out of character, but it's time for me to go to bed and I want to post it for you! So don't be mad, get glad (oh no… not that!). 

Isn't that a pretty button? Pretty purple-grey button. My precious…. 

By the way, I thrive on reviews (hint hint). 

It's right there……….

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	14. The Road Must Begin Somewhere

A/N: I know, I know. I'm a cruel author. This chapter isn't even very long! Oh well. I'd explain the WHOLE thing, but it'd take forever. So, you'll have to settle with knowing that the reason it isn't long of overly interesting is that I had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day that just kind of threw me off for a bit. But I'm back now. . . enjoy!  
  
By the way, "Nalia" is a Wood Elf that I added to the story. She actually belongs to Risa and I'm very sorry for not mentioning that the first time that I posted this chapter. Forgive me? *Gives Risa puppy dog eyes and, when she realizes that Gimli isn't helping by sulking next to her, smacks him on his helmet until he gives Risa puppy dog eyes too. "Hey, Nalia, you have to do this too! Why didn't you remind me to give credit to Risa the FIRST time?!" Nalia pouts and gives Risa puppy dog eyes.* Better?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Six - The Road Must Begin Somewhere  
  
Riley lost track of time after Gandalf left. Not that time really mattered in Hobbiton - the Hobbits took the days just as slowly as they pleased. Riley easily fell into the rhythm when she was with the others, but when she was alone, she would pace the room and fret over the future of her friends.  
  
Somewhere during the next few weeks, she realized that she actually had been there for a longer period of consecutive time than she had before. As much as she would have loved to stay and journey with the Fellowship, she knew that she could very well find herself back in her world before Gandalf even came back.  
  
Then one night, Frodo and Sam decided to go down to the pub, and Riley, not having anything better to do, joined them. She had been many times, and usually didn't drink. If she did, she made sure it was no more than one tumbler-full. Everything that night seemed like the normal visits. Until, that is, Merry and Pippin, obviously a little tipsy, jumped up onto a table and began to sing. Frodo ran around the table they stood on over and over, and Riley vaguely wondered if he knew how stupid he looked just running around the table. But more than anything, she was now on her toes, reviewing where she left everything in her room so that she could pack quickly. There was no way she was going to let Gandalf send Frodo and Sam off without her while she was in Middle-Earth.  
  
Riley laughed with the rest as Merry and Pippin sang, and tried to pay attention. After all, this might be the last time she saw Hobbiton, or the Hobbits in it, for that matter. Everything seemed to go in slow motion: Sam would glance at Rosie, Frodo spun in circles around the two mischievous singing Hobbits, thoughts of the evil they would have to face miles away from entering their minds. Riley suddenly felt a wave of protectiveness hit her; they shouldn't have to suffer through that!  
  
Riley closed her eyes and reached out towards the calm indifference that she had always held towards the whole War of the Ring that was coming. After a moment of fighting within herself, she grasped the feeling and pulled it around her like a blanket. As long as that was her shield, nothing could touch her. It was the old mask that she had struggled to wear during high school to keep her thoughts hidden. And it worked.  
  
Her heart was beating rapidly as Frodo finally decided to leave and he, Sam, and Riley walked out of the pub. Ignoring everything else that was going on, Riley concentrated on the air around her and chanted in her mind, "Almost there, almost there, almost there...."  
  
As they neared the front door of Bag End, Riley was nearly choking with excitement. She was going to go to Rivendell later this morning. She was going to see her friends. Just a few days until she met up with Aragorn in Bree. "Strider," she corrected herself. She mustn't call him Aragorn around the Hobbits until they reached Rivendell. "Okay, Strider."  
  
Though Riley tried to keep herself calm so that Gandalf's sudden presence would not startle her, she still let out a yelp and jumped backwards when he reached out and grabbed a hold of Frodo's shoulder.  
  
Before he could utter the famous "is it secret; is it safe" words, Riley snapped, clutching at her rapidly beating heart, "Oh, gee whiz, Gandalf, don't lurk in dark corners like an alien from 'Signs'! Gaw!" She slumped against a doorframe. She laughed as the wizard's brow furrowed, probably in frustration that she had taken his best line. "No, wait. It was his most famous line. His best line is the one about not choosing what happens in your time, just what you do with the 'time that is given you'. Okay, now that I've gotten that straightened out, back to the present!" Riley supposed that she had developed a serious problem of amusing herself in her own mind, causing her to giggle manically during serious situations. Yup, that could be a problem.  
  
In a desperate attempt to redeem herself, Riley fixed her face into what she hoped wasa cute "I'm sorry" look and pointed towards the chest where Frodo had hidden the Ring. "It's in there."  
  
After watching Gandalf explain the Ring to Frodo a thousand times, Riley had become rather bored with it. She did, however, stay long enough to glimpse the writing on the Ring over Frodo's shoulder. It was beautiful, and Riley recognized a few of the characters as similar to the ones she had studied in Rivendell. But at the same time, she felt the ominous pull and equal disgusted repulsion that she had always felt when near the Ring. "Stupid little thing causes more trouble than it's worth. I could have bought one at home for around one hundred dollars if I'd felt like it."  
  
Riley went to her room to pack after that. She really didn't have much to pack, but she packed all the same. A few very nice lady Hobbits had taken it upon themselves to supply Riley with new clothes (although they had had a hard time understanding why Riley preferred a male's clothes rather than the pretty, flowery dresses), and so into the pack they went. She paused for a moment when she came upon her account of her past, but finally decided to bring it along. She chose a book that she had borrowed from Frodo and tucked the parchments carefully inside the cover. By the time she was finished packing, she could hear a faint slamming of drawers, and guessed that it was about time to leave her room. With a fond glance around her room, which she had really grown to love, Riley stepped out of the place that provided the only comforts that would be left for a very long time.  
  
Gandalf accepted her resolution to accompany Frodo with a quiet understanding, and a raised eyebrow when his eyes swept over her inconspicuous Middle-Earth clothes and spotted her blue Sketchers. Riley gave him an exasperated look and said, "What? I'm not a Hobbit; I can't go barefoot!"  
  
Frodo had tried to argue with her, but Riley refused to be swayed, saying, "Frodo, I can fight better than you can. Do you want *me* to take the Ring?" She relied on the possessiveness over the Ring to cause Frodo to back down.  
  
Suddenly, there was a shuffling outside the window, and Gandalf commanded them to get down. Frodo immediately dropped to the floor, but Riley leaned back against a wall and bit back a giggle as Gandalf hit something in the bushes with his staff. "Turn him into a horse. Turn him into a horse," she chanted in her mind.  
  
"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee, have you been eavesdropping?" Gandalf demanded, slamming the poor Hobbit onto a table, sending papers and other writing supplies flying.  
  
Sam had a fixed look of terror on his face. "I ain't been droppin' no eaves, sir, honest. I was just cuttin' the grass under the window there, if you'll follow me."  
  
"Turn him into a horse, turn him into a horse."  
  
"A little late for trimming the verns, don't you think?" Same just trembled in fear. "What did you hear? Speak!"  
  
"N-nothin' important! That is, I heard a good deal about a ring and a dark lord and somethin' about the end of the world. Please, Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't hurt me; don't turn me into anything. . . unnatural."  
  
"No?" Gandalf said, glancing up at Frodo and Riley. "I've thought of a better use for you."  
  
Riley couldn't resist. "Turn him into a horse, Gandalf!" She quite enjoyed Sam's look of horror. Frodo glared at her and she grinned right back. Gandalf couldn't hide his amusement.  
  
***  
  
Somewhere along the line, Riley noticed that she had been up all night, which is why, when Gandalf was saying his last words to Frodo, Riley closed her eyes and leaned heavily on the horse, who, fortunately, was not Sam. She hadn't realized how deep of a doze she had gone into until Gandalf was pulling her gently away from the horse and leaning her on Frodo. Riley gave him a sleepy, hopefully encouraging smile and slumped over the Hobbit's shoulders. The pounding of hooves signaled Gandalf's departure.  
  
"Riley, we're starting off. Are you coming or would you prefer to stay in the grass and sleep the trouble away?" Frodo asked gently, a hint of teasing in his voice.  
  
Riley snorted and pushed herself up off her friend, shaking her head to wake herself up. "Don't be a donkey, Frodo, let's go." And she started tromping off in the general direction of Bree. Or at least, she hoped that was where she was headed. No matter, Frodo and Sam seemed to agree with her sense of direction, since they began following her without complaint.  
  
The first couple days were exciting and, quite frankly, a lot of fun for Riley. She was able to explore much of the Shire that she doubted that she would ever see again, and the walking was amusing, since she could call upon her vast amount of knowledge about hilarious things that were done in movies, and she frequently teased and tackled Sam from behind bushes.  
  
However, after the first few days, she had to focus on the passive spirit that allowed her to accept pretty much everything without much resistance. So the days simply passed. None of them were extraordinary, they just were, like the Tucks in "Tuck Everlasting".  
  
The greatest thing that happened was the day when they saw the Wood Elves. Frodo and Sam ducked behind a log to watch, Frodo talking softly about where the Elves were going, but Riley could not seem to stay away; she felt drawn to them, most likely because she had not seen Elves since the last time she was in Middle Earth.  
  
Riley walked slowly down the hill, and it didn't take long for the Elves to notice she was there. They stopped, obviously waiting for her to approach them and introduce herself. Riley took a deep, slow breath, trying to calm her nerves, which were waiting anxiously for something. She paused in front of an Elf who studied her with an aloof curiosity. Riley bowed her head for a moment, and murmured, "Hello."  
  
The Elf raised an eyebrow and glanced behind him. As if on cue, a she-Elf nudged her horse forwards until it was right in front of Riley. "Greetings, young one. What is your name?"  
  
Riley had the mad urge to giggle. Only Legolas had ever called her "young one". Instead, she smiled calmly and replied, "My name is Riley Ashton. May I ask the name of my Elven friend, and what land she hails from?"  
  
The Elf's face seemed to brighten. "You are the Elfin Child, then? Legolas spoke of nothing else for weeks after his return from Rivendell! I am happy to finally meet you. I am Nalia of Mirkwood."  
  
Riley couldn't help grinning. "So you are Nalia! Legolas mentioned you several times during those few days that I knew him. And now, Lady Nalia, tell me: what has made you decide to leave these shores for the Havens?"  
  
Nalia brushed a strand of light brown hair away from her face, and she gazed off in front of her as if she could see the ocean through the trees. "It is time. Although I am grieved to leave my family and my friends, they will join us soon. And the evil grows in this land; I cannot stay here during the time when it will nearly consume all corners of our world." She turned blue eyes to Riley. "Legolas said that you know the outcome of this evil. I do not wish for you to tell me all, but please, can you not say anything?"  
  
Riley smiled softly, and stepped forwards, reaching up for Nalia's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I accompany the Ring-bearer. I will not let any harm come to him. I cannot tell you much, but let me tell you this: have hope."  
  
Nalia nodded. "We will leave you to gather strength, then. Thank you, my friend. I do not think that we shall meet again, but it was an honor to know you, even for this short time. Namarie."  
  
Riley bowed her head again, and said farewell, then stepped back, and watched the Elves continue their walk through the forest. Sighing, Riley whispered to the Elves, and to herself, "Have hope."  
  
***  
  
That was pretty much the last day that is was just the three of them. As they entered the field of corn, Riley had a mad urge to giggle incessantly, and so had to walk along biting one of her fingers to keep from making too much noise. Sam seemed to think she had actually gone mad, but Frodo was obviously having a difficult time keeping from laughing himself. Riley wondered whether the Ring was really weighing on him much yet. If it was at all, she was glad that she could offer some source of amusement.  
  
"Frodo? Mr. Frodo!" Sam called. Riley looked over Frodo's head to see Sam rushing towards them with a frightened look on his face.  
  
"What's the matter," Frodo asked.  
  
Relief flashed across Sam's face. "I thought I'd lost you."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"It's just something Gandalf said."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee, and I don't mean to." Riley bit her finger again and look a giant step away from Frodo, trying her best not to grin.  
  
"Sam, we're still in the Shire. What could possibly happen?" Riley had clearly heard the crunch of approaching feet, but apparently Frodo and Sam were too oblivious in their conversation to notice. They did notice, however, when two Hobbits shot out of the corn and plowed them over. Riley had to squash down the idea of yelling, "CHILDREN OF THE CORN!" and run, screaming, away. Of course, that just made her want to laugh more.  
  
"Frodo!" Pippin exclaimed, staring at the Hobbit he had just fallen on top of. "Merry, it's Frodo Baggins!"  
  
Merry was already on his feet and was pulling Sam up. "Hullo, Frodo."  
  
"What's the meaning of this?" Sam snapped accusingly, but had to shut his mouth to keep a piece of cabbage from shooting down his throat as Merry loaded his arms with vegetables. "You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!"  
  
Pippin waved at Riley excitedly. "Hullo, Elf-Girl!"  
  
Riley finally allowed herself to laugh. "Hi, Pippin."  
  
A dog's bark pulled them out of their greetings.  
  
Riley didn't bother to wait for Sam, she just followed Pippin as he sprang into the corn and began running. Being able to run faster than someone gave Riley a thrill, and before she knew it, she pulled ahead of Pippin. Big, but simple, mistake: one that she hadn't expected to make. She'd forgotten about the sudden lack of ground that awaited them.  
  
Riley was able to skid to a halt at the edge, muttering, "Uh oh" before Sam crashed into all of them and Riley found herself tumbling down a hill.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I PROMISE that it won't take this long for the next chapter to come out. In the mean time, REVIEW! Hee hee ( 


	15. Mysterious Fungus,, Mutant Crickets,, an...

A/N: Was this not a quick update. . . at least for me? Hee hee ( Enjoy!  
  
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Chapter Seven - Mysterious Fungus, Mutant Crickets, and Disappearing Cheese  
  
  
  
All the air rushed out of Riley's lungs as she hit the ground. As if that wasn't enough, the weight of four Hobbits fell on her back and pinned her.  
  
"Oof," she thought. Someone shifted above her, probably Pippin, since they were commenting about how close they had come to falling in a pile of dung. "More like ouch!" Riley groaned and dropped her head to the ground, waiting patiently, but uncomfortably, for the Hobbits to get off her.  
  
"Mushrooms!" Pippin cried, and his weight was just lifting away when it slammed back down.  
  
By the time Riley was finally able to stand up, she figured that she needed to go ahead and hide so that she didn't slow the Hobbits down; she had seen the movie enough to know that there was no room for her to hide with her friends.  
  
Three of them were a bit preoccupied with the mysterious fungus that just happened to be there, and Frodo was staring down the road, so Riley had plenty of time to escape unnoticed. She sneaked down past the famous hole under the road and was a few steps away from a promising clump of bushes, when a sudden high-pitched scream alerted her, not to mention Frodo, of the approaching danger.  
  
Not realizing that when Frodo called, "Get off the road!", he wasn't exactly talking to her, Riley dove behind the bushes and whipped around so that she could watch. The Hobbits had just finished hiding, and the dumber ones still whispered and admired the mushrooms, unaware, for the moment, of how close to real evil they were, when the black rider came into view.  
  
Perhaps it was the Elven qualities in her that made her able to sense the evil rolling in waves from the creature, or maybe that was just how it worked. One thing Riley knew: whatever it was made her want to vomit.  
  
It was completely different from the movie. There were, of course, the clinking sounds of the metal on the horse, and the occasional snort and stamp, but there wasn't the loud noise of the horse adjusting the bit in its mouth, or the reins shifting over its skin.  
  
Riley wished that she could whimper in fear and curl up into a ball; she sincerely hated herself to actually wanting to watch. Crud. Instead of giving herself away, which was extremely stupid in her mind, she bit down on her lip. . . hard. It hurt, obviously, but the pain acted as a shield from the evil. The creature was crouching, smelling the air since it could not see. For a moment, Riley wondered what the ringwraith's name had been when he had been a king, before he was corrupted by on e of the nine rings of men.  
  
The next thing she knew, Frodo had narrowly missed putting the Ring on, and Merry was tossing a head of cabbage off to the side to distract the black rider. He and Pippin were the first to run past Riley. She was finally able to stop biting her lip, but as soon as she sprang up to follow her friends, a metallic taste filled her mouth. "Guess I bit my lip harder than I thought," she thought, wiping some of the blood off her lip.  
  
As it grew dark, Riley had an encouraging thought: before the light of day arrived again, she would see Aragorn. It gave her an overwhelming sense of. . . yey. Well, at least, it made her have an extreme rush of adrenalin.  
  
And that was exactly what she needed about two minutes later. "What is going on?" Pippin asked tiredly.  
  
"Oh my. . . stay close to Merry and Pippin," Riley thought to herself as she sank to the ground behind a tree, and mentally slapped herself when she went to bite her lip again. Bad habit, bad!  
  
"Sam and I must get to Bree."  
  
Riley really wanted to laugh now (stupid energy). "I really need to quit zoning out of conversations." She almost missed Merry leaping up and the other Hobbits following him. "See?" This was when the extra energy came in handy. Riley dodged trees and leapt over logs, feet balancing on the uneven terrain and cool air whipping across her face. Running for her life was actually fun!  
  
Until a ringwraith and his horse jumped out of the trees, that is. Riley shrieked and screamed, "He popped out of the snow. . . like a daisy!" Okay, maybe it was the wrong movie, but she wasn't really thinking about what she was saying as she tried her best to follow right behind Merry as he dodged the horse and kept running. While the Hobbits had to pull themselves over the fence, Riley simply hurdled it and sped towards the ferry. She made it before the others and positioned herself at the back of the flat little boat. The three trailing Hobbits arrived only seconds later.  
  
"Get the rope, Sam!" In the scamper of feet and the rush to get the ferry moving, Riley couldn't decide who said that, and she couldn't even remember who said it in the movie. Odd. . . . Frodo was running towards the ferry, barely keeping in front of the horse. . . but where was the music and the slow motion?  
  
"Duh, it's not the movie, idiot!" Riley's mind yelled at her. Riley rolled her eyes.  
  
Frodo was nearing the end of the dock. Riley knew that he would make it, but for some reason, a sudden fear choked her and "will he make it?" flitted through her mind. A split second later, Frodo slammed into Sam, sending them both tumbling back onto the deck, nearly knocking Riley off.  
  
"How far to the nearest crossing?" Frodo asked as a group of black riders rode down the road, letting out long screeches.  
  
The answer seemed to pop out of Riley's mouth, even though she hadn't been paying attention. "Brandywine Bridge - twenty miles." She exhaled unsteadily. "Can we refrain from running through dark forests with those black riders on out tails in the future?" Pippin raised his eyebrows and strained to look for his non-existent tail. Riley gave him an annoyed look and slapped him upside the head. "Not a literal tail, you twit!" By the look Pippin gave her, Riley guessed that the knowledge she had just imparted to the Hobbit made him consider himself an enlightened individual.  
  
The little humorous thought brought that one thing back to mind. As the ferry bumped into the dock on the other side of the river, and "Riley and Co." disembarked the little boat, Riley grinned. "Aragorn, Aragorn, Aragorn, Ar - wait a second. How the heck is this supposed to work?" Aw, crud.  
  
Aragorn was no idiot; he would recognize her the moment she entered the pub - er - inn. He would, not doubt, approach her, and then his true identity would be forced into the open and his presence revealed too soon. Not to mention the fact that it would cause trouble if Riley just walked up to a stranger, let alone a suspicious stranger. Crud.  
  
For the hour or two after she realized that she had a problem, Riley followed the Hobbits blindly while she formulated a plan for dealing with the "Aragorn situation", and by the time they reached Bree, not only was she soaked from the rain, but she had a pretty good plan. The soaked-and- muddy part didn't bother her since it increased the adventurous feel to the whole creeping-towards-town thing.  
  
"Four Hobbits and a man! Strange, very strange. What would four Hobbits and a man be wantin' in Bree?" Riley scowled from under her hood at the icky old man who stood in the doorway. Man, indeed. She nudged Merry forwards a bit, wanting to just duck under Icky-Man's arm and run to the inn.  
  
"We wish to stay at the inn; our business is our own." Frodo sounded a bit too jumpy for simply answering a question.  
  
"All right, young sirs, I meant no offence," Not-So-Icky-Man-Now-That-He- Was-Being-Nice said as he allowed the group through the door. "There's talk of strange folk abroad."  
  
Riley almost snorted. "Yeah, giant, mutated, flesh-eating crickets," she thought. It didn't take Riley very long to decide that she did not particularly like Bree. Everything was dark and sinister, shadows seeming to jump at you from each alley.  
  
Luckily, it didn't take long to reach the Prancing Pony. As they stepped through the door, Riley leaned down and whispered in Frodo's ear, "Don't worry about getting me a room." Before Frodo could ask, Riley slipped away from the Hobbits entered the pub unnoticed. She kept her hood up so she would not attract attention, and walked quietly towards a dark corner, biting her lip gently to keep from smiling.  
  
Aragorn was lounging in a chair in a corner, periodically eating a piece of bread and drinking a tumbler of ale. His hood was pulled up so that Riley could not see his face, but she supposed it didn't matter since she knew what he looked like anyway.  
  
He most likely noticed her approach, but didn't show it. Riley desperately wanted to laugh, but swallowed the urge as she dropped to her knees in front of Aragorn. He looked down at her curiously, and Riley realized that her hood was probably shadowing her face. She slipped the hood further back on her head and raised her eyes to meet her old friend's. "Hey there, Aragorn," she whispered, smiling as widely as she could without tearing the scab on her lip.  
  
Aragorn was shocked, to say the least. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in surprise. He reached out and took Riley's hands in his. "Riley?" Riley nodded. "My friend! How. . . ."  
  
Riley shook her head. "I know, we have so much to talk about! But we can't talk yet. I'm here with Frodo, and he shouldn't know you are here until later. He doesn't even know who you are. So just, I don't know, stay here and relax. You'll know when to step in." Riley squeezed his hands and stood, turning to walk away, but on second thought turned back. "Strider, where is your room?"  
  
Aragorn looked slightly startled. "At the top of the stairs on the left. It's the first room, why?"  
  
Riley grinned, then winced as her lip threatened to tear again. "I'll wait for you there." She winked, and walked away. Riley had no doubt that she had left Aragorn very confused, but it left material for later conversations, so she didn't worry.  
  
She made her way over to a table where Mr. Butterbur, the innkeeper, was just laying out some bread and cheese for the Hobbits. Plopping down next to Frodo, she plucked a piece of sliced bread from the plate and a slice of cheese from Pippin's hands. Pippin, who had been looking at something else at the time, didn't notice the cheese had left his hand until he turned back. He sat, staring dumbly at his hand. He could have sworn that he had a slice of cheese a moment ago. . . . 


	16. Of the Flying of Hobbits and Apples

A/N: I decided to take this opportunity to clear up and explain a few things. (1) I have read the Lord of the Rings books. . . almost three times (my dad read them to me when I was eight, I read them again a year before the Fellowship of the Ring came out, and I began reading them yet again after seeing the movie last year). Even before I saw the movie, Legolas and Aragorn were my favorites, and that sentiment remains.  
  
(2) I am letting you know that this is not a Mary Sue (at least not by my standards), but is a Legolas/OC story. You may not be able to discern these facts from what I have written so far, but I assure you that, as the Princess of Twisted Plots (I heard there was already a queen), this story is not entirely what it seems. While Riley is lucky enough to live a charmed life, the pain she is to go through in the future reassures me that she will never be a Mary Sue.  
  
(3) I don't really have anything against Mary-Sues, but I prefer to keep my writing as real-life as I can, therefore leaving out the Mary-Sue-Element. I also plan, sometime in the future, to write a Mary Sue that will simply be a short story to make fun of somewhat poorly written stories. I am mean, I know, but it must be done.  
  
(4) I am not Tolkien, nor have I ever been. Please do not compare me to him, as, since I am a normal human being, I wish to escape the humiliation of looking like a child writing silly whimsical stories with no spectacular elements.  
  
Thank you!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight - Of the Flying of Hobbits and Apples  
  
  
  
  
  
"Wha's that?" Pippin asked, eyeing the mug that Merry had just brought to the table with him in awe. Riley grinned, knowing what was coming next.  
  
"This, my friend, is a pint," Merry answered, looking at the ale, excitement shining in his eyes.  
  
Pippin looked absolutely astonished. "It comes in pints?" Merry's answer was an affirmative grunt coming from somewhere inside the mug. "I'm getting one!" Pippin declared in determination, ignoring Sam's protest that he already had a full mug of ale directly in front of him.  
  
Riley took that as her cue and got up. Frodo gave her a confused look that she waved off. She threw a glance toward Aragorn on her way out of the room, but he was dutifully observing Frodo. Riley climbed the stairs slowly, since there was no reason to hurry; she would be walking almost nonstop the next few weeks; no sense in rushing to get there.  
  
Then again, she might not even be there the next morning. For all she knew, she might not ever see Aragorn again. "Strider," she reminded herself as she reached the door to the Ranger's room and turned the knob, luckily finding it unlocked. "He's Strider until Rivendell." Perhaps it would have been better if she had not allowed herself to lie down on the bed, for she was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.  
  
However, the sound of the door slamming open was a bit too loud to allow her to sleep any longer. Her eyes popped open just as Frodo literally flew past her to the fireplace, landing on his hands and knees. Riley snorted back a laugh and listened intently when Ar - Strider began talking, answering Frodo's question as to what the Ranger wanted with him with such a gruff, almost hostile tone of voice that Riley no longer wondered why the Hobbits did not exactly like him at first. "A little more caution from you as to the thing you carry."  
  
Frodo's fear was evident in his eyes. "I carry nothing," he declared.  
  
"Indeed?" Strider sneered. He strode across the room to the window, putting a candle out by smothering it with two fingers. "I can go unseen if I wish, but to disappear entirely: that is a rare gift." He turned back to face Frodo and pushed back his hood, revealing his face.  
  
Riley immediately realized that this was not the Aragorn she knew. This man was gruff, weather-beaten, unforgiving, and burdened by too many long years of a hard life to be the Aragorn she had met all those years ago in Rivendell. This, she decided, was a Ranger. Oh. . . fun. "Whoops! There I go, missing the conversation again."  
  
"Are you frightened?" Strider asked.  
  
Riley wanted to jump in with a resounding "DUH!" but guessed that this probably was not the best time. She finally allowed herself to sit up on the edge of the bed, ignoring the fogginess that threatened to swamp her brain.  
  
"Yes." Of course he was frightened; Strider should not have even had to ask. It was more than obvious. One ability that Frodo had, whether blessing or curse, was to display all of his emotions through his eyes.  
  
"Not nearly frightened enough; I know what hunts you."  
  
Frodo was just about to ask what Strider meant, but the door burst open, startling Riley enough to make her fall off the bed, landing directly in front of Strider, his sword drawn over her head.  
  
The sight was actually quite comical: a human girl falling off a bed and landing on her butt while short, furry people nearly broke down the door in their attempts to get through, one of them holding a chair, and another threatening a man who was not only twice his size, but wielded a weapon. If Riley had not been preoccupied with keeping still so that her head did not become detached from her head, she would have laughed.  
  
Well, she might not have laughed, but Frodo did. The scene even drew a deep chuckle from Strider as he sheathed his sword. Riley purposefully ignored the hand that he offered and stood up on her own, glaring at the laughing Hobbit. "Oh, shut up, Frodo."  
  
Frodo only laughed harder, somehow choking out, "But, Riley, you must admit that you do have a tendency to run into things or just fall over for no reason."  
  
By then, the other Hobbits were laughing too. Strider laughed loudly and clapped Riley on the back. "It is good to see you again, old friend."  
  
"I'm not old; you're old, Strider," Riley snapped, plopping down on the bed and pouting. Pippin, who was closest to her, could have sworn that he heard her mutter, "If I only had a Dwarf right now I'd cut off his precious beard and push him out the window. That'd make me feel better." A dreamy expression passed over the girl's face, and Pippin supposed that she was imagining how a beardless Dwarf would look flying out of a window. . . .  
  
By now the laughter had died down, all except for Pippin who had just envisioned a beardless Dwarf (or what he thought a Dwarf would look like) flying out of a window. He dropped down to the floor, rolling around and howling in laughter, oblivious to the odd looks he was getting from the others in the room.  
  
Riley raised her eyebrows at the Hobbit and patiently waited out the insane giggles. When Pippin suddenly realized that everyone else had stopped laughing. He sat up, blushing deeply.  
  
Thinking that she out to spare Pippin from further embarrassment, Riley clapped her hands and ushering the Hobbits into the room, she said, "All right, we're staying here tonight. Get settled in. Sam, why don't you go get our packs; I'll help, if you like."  
  
Sam, looking a little dazed, replied that he thought Merry and Pippin would do. Pippin opened his mouth to protest, but Merry smacked him on the back of his head, and they shuffled out after Sam.  
  
Riley hopped back onto the bed. "So, Strider. We'll need supplies, and probably a pony. How about Bill Ferny's? Do you know if Bill Ferny has a wife? 'Cuz it seems to me that if she married someone as rotten as him, she'd have to be just as bad, don't you think?"  
  
The old twinkle of amusement lit Strider's eyes, and, for a moment, Riley glimpsed Aragorn through the Ranger's hard exterior. "I think you are the only person I know who can speak that quickly, my friend." Riley laughed and launched herself into Strider's arms.  
  
All of a sudden, Riley remembered Frodo, and pulled away from Aragorn. Frodo looked extremely perplexed. Riley actually felt a little sorry for him. "Frodo, I don't think you've been properly introduced to my old friend. Frodo Baggins, this is," Aragorn gave her warning glance, "Strider the Ranger. Strider, meet Frodo Baggins of the Shire. Frodo, I met Strider last time I was in Middle-Earth."  
  
"Strange; I did not hear you speak of him with Gandalf," Frodo said.  
  
Riley now regretted speaking so freely in front of Frodo in Bag-End. Too bad she seemed to have left her ability to talk her way out of things in Washington. Instead, she just smiled serenely and leaned back into Strider's arms, closing her eyes. She did not see the rough shell around the Ranger slowly melt away, Aragorn emerging.  
  
When the other three Hobbits returned, Riley shepherded them into bed then perched on the end of the bed and leaned against the wall, trying her best to sleep a little.  
  
After what seemed like only minutes, a high-pitched screech raked across her mind and she jumped, eyes flying open in alarm. Her heart froze for a moment. Her mouth went dry and her entire body tensed. Then she realized where she was and she let out the breath she had been holding. She had not been so frightened in a long time. A tear slipped down her cheek and her lower lip trembled.  
  
Meekly, she climbed of the bed and walked to Aragorn, hugging herself. Seeing how scared she was, Aragorn stood up from his chair and wrapped his arms around her, giving her what comfort he could. As safe as she felt with her friend, Riley somehow wished for something more - she felt like curling up in someone's lap and crying her heart out. It had been so long since she had just cried. . . .  
  
"What are they?" a timid voice asked.  
  
Since Riley wasn't exactly inclined to move, Strider rested his chin on her head. "They were once kings of men. Then Sauron the deceiver gave to them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question, and one by one fell into darkness. They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths: neither living nor dead. At all times they," here, Strider paused and frowned. He quickly hit Riley on her head to make her quit mouthing the words he was saying. "They hear the call of the Ring. They will never stop hunting you."  
  
Riley giggled and a muffled, "Yeah, they're like magnets!" came from Strider's chest.  
  
"Riley, can you still wield a weapon?" Strider gently pried her away from himself.  
  
Riley pouted, but answered readily, "I can use a bow and arrow pretty well, but I haven't practiced with a sword for three years; well, since you tried to teach me."  
  
"You have not held a sword in ten years?"  
  
Riley wrinkled her nose. "No, three years." At her friend's confused look, she suddenly remembered, "Oh yeah, you don't know. It's been ten years for you, but only three for me."  
  
"Ah. Well, I am going to leave you here with the Hobbits while I gather supplies. Will you be all right?"  
  
"What would you have done if I wasn't here?"  
  
"Left the Hobbits here to fend for themselves."  
  
"Okay." Riley stepped back and waved a hand in dismissal. "See ya!"  
  
Aragorn studied her for a moment, slightly unnerving her, but in the end, handed her his sword, pooled his and Frodo's money, and walked out the door. Riley followed him to the door, calling after him, "Don't forget the pony! Oh, and milk! We need. . ." but Strider was too far away to hear her go on about how they needed milk and how they would keep the milk cold on their journey.  
  
Eventually, she turned back to the Hobbits and told them to eat a good breakfast, because they would be leaving soon. Riley had always wondered how Merry and Pippin got dragged into even going to Rivendell. It seemed now, however, that it simply had not occurred to them that they could go home if they wanted.  
  
By the time Strider got back, Riley had had a full stomach for nearly an hour, and the Hobbits were just finishing. Riley continuously slapped Pippin's hands away from a good-sized meal she had set aside for Strider, warning the Hobbit that if he took the food, she would kill him and turn him into a Chia pet. Pippin was not sure what a Chia pet was, but the warning tone in Riley's voice assured him that it was something awful.  
  
Strider entered the room, and, spotting the Hobbits and Riley sitting in a circle on the floor, frowned at Riley, who was on the other side of the room from the sword. "Riley, what, may I ask, is the good of having a sword on the other side of the room?"  
  
"Pippin made me put it there after I threatened to kill him if he ate your food," Riley replied nonchalantly, handing Strider a handkerchief that she had prepared to carry his breakfast until he felt inclined to eat it. "Ready to go? Did you get the pony?"  
  
"Yes. Ferny was not glad to part with it, but I saved the animal from him anyway."  
  
Riley grinned. "Bill the pony thanks you. Come on, Hobbits, time to go."  
  
Two hours later, they were marching away from Bree. Riley listened grimly to Frodo explaining to the other Hobbits why he was trusting Strider, and thwacked Merry over the head when he said that Strider was "foul enough". Feeling that that was not the punishment that the statement deserved, Riley continued pounding the Hobbit until Strider pulled her up off the now black and blue Merry and made her walk with him for the next hour.  
  
Not quite finished with her revenge, Riley snickered when the Hobbits stopped for second breakfast. She stood with Strider as he turned around and announced, "Gentlemen, we do not stop till nightfall."  
  
"What about breakfast?" Pippin asked.  
  
"You've already had it."  
  
"We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?" Pippin replied seriously. Riley giggled and walked away with Strider. She could hear Pippin's increasingly panicky, "What about elevenses? Lunch? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?"  
  
Riley stopped when Strider reached up into a tree and plucked two apples off the branches. He tossed them back towards the Hobbits. Stifling her laughs, Riley picked up a few apples off the ground and waited until she heard a "thump" that she could only assume was an apple hitting Pippin's head.  
  
"Pippin!" Merry called. He rounded a clump of trees. . . .  
  
"Attack of the flying apples!" Riley shouted, pelting the Hobbit with the soft apples that she had gathered. "Take that, evil halfling! Don't you dare call Strider foul! I. . . ." She tried to through the next apple, but her arm was caught on something.  
  
"As much as I appreciate your defending my looks to a Hobbit, Riley," Aragorn chuckled, letting go of Riley's hand, "It is not the best idea to kill Merry before we reach Rivendell."  
  
Riley pouted, asking hotly, "Well, can I kill him in Rivendell, then?"  
  
Aragorn laughed. "You will have to ask permission from Elrond, but you may find that he will be sympathetic, as he once told me that he considered me a son."  
  
"Hm," Riley snorted, stomping on ahead. "Well I'll just have to talk to Elrond, then." A few minutes later, she discovered that she was going the wrong way, and had to play "Strider Riley" to get back to her friends.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
REVIEW OR I WILL CURSE YOU WITH. . . uh. . . MY EVIL SINGING! MWAHAHAHAHAHA. . . *COUGH!* 


	17. What is Meant to Be

A/N: Wow. a nationwide school break is a beautiful thing. I had 142 reviews before I posted my little note to the flamers. . . in two days I had 189, and now I have 199! Thank you thank you thank you thank you for support and constructive criticism, and thanks especially to "Ani" for offering to be my beta-reader.  
  
By the way. . . this is going to sound stupid, but I was wondering: I've read stories on ff.net with italicized words and the little dot-dot-dot thingymabob (sorry, forgot what it's called), but when I do that, the words won't italicize and I have to put a space in-between the dots. HELP! Does anyone know WHY?!  
  
One last thing before we get back to Riley: I'm sorry if you don't like this story. You can go ahead and let me know, but from now on I am not going to let negative reviews get me. Honestly, I am writing this story for me, and nobody forced you to read it. So, while I appreciate hints and suggestions on how to keep my story from going more down the "terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad story" lane, I am letting you know that I tend to ignore "bad" reviews that don't employ a thing called good grammar.  
  
And for those you like my story: ENJOY!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine - What is Meant to Be  
  
  
  
Riley shifted on her blanket again, trying desperately to ignore the rocks (and twigs and little martians) that were hiding under her. Yes, she had tried to move them, but it was growing dark by the time they stopped and Riley had opted to sleep instead of eat. She was more tired than hungry.  
  
"Do you suppose she's asleep?" someone hissed. Riley tried to look as though she was sound asleep.  
  
"Yes, she lay down a long time ago; she should be." That was most definitely Merry.  
  
"Who do you suppose she really is?" Riley cracked an eye open at this.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Merry. . . ."  
  
"Be quiet, Pip. Why do you say that, Sam?" Ah, of course it was Sam.  
  
"Well, she says that she knows what's goin' to happen, right?"  
  
"Right. Quit nudging me, Pip."  
  
"But, Merry. . . ."  
  
"So why don't she just tell us where all the danger is? Why's she just letting Frodo suffer?"  
  
Good point, Sam.  
  
"Merry. . . ."  
  
"Be quiet, Pippin!" Riley heard a muffled *thump* and a quiet "oomph" from Pippin. "Maybe she's worried about what'll happen."  
  
"How could helping everything go right be bad?"  
  
"Merry. . . ."  
  
"What, Pippin?" Merry exclaimed.  
  
"She's awake!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Riley's been awake this whole time. She's listening to you!"  
  
Riley could not help smiling. "You're very perceptive for a Hobbit," she said hoarsely, then rolled over and concentrated on relaxing every muscle in her body, rocks or no rocks.  
  
"Riley?"  
  
Riley groaned loudly. "Yes, Sam?"  
  
"Why don't you?"  
  
"Why don't I what?"  
  
"Help Frodo?"  
  
"I thought I was helping him."  
  
Sam huffed in frustration. "Then why didn't you warn us about the Black Riders?"  
  
"Were any of you hurt, Sam?"  
  
"No, but Mr. Frodo. . . ."  
  
"Got some exercise. Everyone got through it fine, so I did the right thing." Almost as if there was someone else inside her, Riley heard, "But what about when Frodo gets hurt; are you going to save him then?" She squeezed her eyes shut. "Good night," she said to no one in particular.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"My feet hurt!" Pippin called to Strider.  
  
"My shoulders hurt," Merry added.  
  
"My toes hurt!" Riley said.  
  
Pippin kept on going. "My stomach hurts."  
  
Merry didn't seem like he was going to let up either. "My back hurts."  
  
"My neck hurts."  
  
"And my legs hurt."  
  
"And my butt hurt!" Riley yelled.  
  
"Riley!" Strider snapped roughly.  
  
"What?" she hissed back.  
  
"You need to be quiet."  
  
Riley's mouth fell open and she motioned violently at Merry and Pippin, since she was now forbidden to talk. The Hobbits snickered.  
  
"Oh shut up," she mouthed at them, hoping that she had some skill in telepathy so that the two troublemakers could hear her screaming at them in her mind. Her point seemed to come across well, but was certainly not heeded by the Hobbits, who only sniggered louder and hurried after Strider, only to find that he had halted and was gazing at a hill in the distance.  
  
"This was once the great watch-tower of Amon Sul. We shall rest here tonight."  
  
"Oh good, Weathertop," Riley thought. "At least we get to rest for a while now."  
  
"Riley, keep up!" Riley's head snapped up to find that even Sam and Bill had passed her.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Riley leaned her head back against the rock, letting the breeze caress her face in a soothing gesture. It was quiet times like these when she felt a sort of nostalgia for the times she had spent alone in "her cove" back home.  
  
"These are for you." Somehow, Strider's voice seemed almost weather-beaten, like the time that he had been in the wild had worn away at his vocal cords until he hardly sounded like the young Aragorn at all.  
  
Then again, everyone's voice aged over time. Her mom's voice had sounded different when she was twenty than the last time she had heard it, which, she realized, was probably at least several months ago. "Wow," Riley thought. "I have been here for longer than I thought."  
  
"Riley." A voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "Will you be all right without a weapon?"  
  
Riley opened her eyes and took a moment to focus on Strider, then grinned impishly. "Of course. What do you think those Hobbits are for? They'll do nicely as shields."  
  
Strider smiled wryly. "I'm going to take a look around."  
  
"Don't get eaten," Riley warned, and then turned around to pull her blanket from her pack.  
  
A minute later she was asleep, and when she woke up, it was just in time to catch the first cooked sausages coming out of the frying pan. Pippin loaded his plate and turned his attention back to the pan to get a tomato and some bacon, and when he looked back at his plate, the sausages were gone.  
  
Pippin sighed loudly. "First the cheese, now the meat."  
  
Riley snorted with laughter from behind him. "I'm going to go look around. I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
Pippin waved distractedly at her as he made sure that he kept his eyes on his plate at the same time that he was digging more food out of the frying pan, which only resulted in a burnt finger.  
  
Riley walked up a flight of stairs and came to the site of Frodo's first real confrontation with the Nazgul. The top of the hill was seemingly innocent. The wind blew softly, and what bushes inhabited the rocky terrain rustled loudly.  
  
And now it was time to hide. Let's see. . . puddle where Frodo drops his sword. . . there's the spot where Frodo falls over and the stupid not-dead- not-alive king stabs him. . . "I should hide behind that pillar."  
  
Riley slipped to the ground behind a pillar and munched on her, well, Pippin's sausages. "I wonder if this is made of pig. There were pigs in the Shire. I wonder if I met the pig." Maybe she should change the subject. "Okay. . . I wonder who the first Elf was." Riley honestly did not know why her mind worked the way it did, much less why people found it endearing; she found it quite annoying. When she should be amused, she often found herself thinking about sad things. And then, when she should be crying her heart out, her mind came up with something that made her laugh her head off, which only made her appear completely insane. "Who came up with eating chickens?"  
  
"Put it out, you fools, put it out!" A faint voice echoed around Riley.  
  
"Oh, that's nice; ash in my tomatoes!" Pippin cried.  
  
Riley laughed silently, squeezing her eyes shut. "You say tum-A-toe; I say tum-a-toe," flashed through her mind. Riley curled up and tried desperately to breathe between hysterical silent giggles.  
  
Suddenly, a familiar high-pitched shriek shot through the air. Riley's eyes flew open and she held her breath, waiting for any more sound. Abruptly, she realized that she was in a very bad position, or at least she was in a potentially bad position. She slapped herself on the forehead and shrank behind a bush and as close to the ground as she could.  
  
Hopefully she did not smell as horrible as she thought she did; otherwise, the Ringwraiths would find her right of. Now wouldn't that be a wonderful end to the story of "The Elfin Child". Riley nearly snorted in contempt. So far, being the Elfin Child had not helped her life any. And what made her the Elfin Child, anyway? She had heard the "prophecy", but no one had ever told her that it was some magical abilities that entered her body every time she came to Middle-Earth. Was she really that much of a Mary-Sue?  
  
A crunch snapped her out of her thoughts. All right, it was about time that she quit sinking into her own thoughts when really serious things came up. And how the heck did she get from Nazgul to Mary-Sue? "Wouldn't it be funny if a Nazgul walked up to a Mary-Sue and. . ." Riley curled her hands into fists, digging her fingernails into her palms.  
  
Riley quit breathing altogether when a Ringwraith swept up the hill a few feet away from her. Apparently it - he? - was too focused on Frodo to notice an insignificant little girl who was sprawled behind a bush.  
  
Now that she thought about it, those Ringwraiths had a sort of "Dementor Affect". It was as if the thing was sucking all of the happy thoughts out of the air, like the dementors in "Harry Potter".  
  
"Back you devils!" A couple of clangs later, a heavy thump signaled that Sam had lost his first sword fight. At least they didn't kill him.  
  
Terrified squeals from Merry and Pippin told Riley that they were also "out of the game". It seemed so simple; everything was happening like it was supposed to. All the sounds were right, and everything was on cue. But when Merry and Pippin shrieked in fear, something clenched inside of Riley and threatened to choke her.  
  
Frodo's sword clashed to the ground and he fell backwards. Riley somehow managed to scrounge up enough courage to peek around the pillar, and froze when Frodo disappeared. Her eyes automatically strained, trying to make sense of it, but her memory shouted that it was perfectly logical: a tiny ring was alive and had an evil power that corrupted and turned people invisible. Perfectly logical.  
  
Riley climbed up slowly as the Ringwraith reached toward the ground, grasping for something that Riley couldn't see, although she knew perfectly well what it was. Her gaze drifted down to the point of the sword that the head Wraith-King was carrying. The tip of it glinted, and Riley suddenly imagined a horribly burning sensation in her shoulder.  
  
The sword was pulled back; the Black Rider was getting ready to strike. "No!" Riley heard from somewhere around her, and she vaguely realized that it was her that was screaming as she darted out from behind the pillar. She leapt up on top of the stone pillar that had been broken near the base and tipped over. The Nazgul, startled by the sudden appearance of a young human girl, did not follow through with its plan of stabbing the Hobbit. But Riley didn't stop on top of the pillar. She sprang off it onto the head- Ringwraith, knocking it backwards and falling on top of it.  
  
"Oh, sick!" She shrieked, jumping up off the cloaked figure and shuddering. She could not, for the life of her, understand why the stupid thing was invisible to her, and yet she could still feel its body. Yuck, yuck, YUCK!  
  
Then she realized what she had done. A paralyzing wave of dread rushed through her body, and she found herself unable to move. The Ringwraiths started to gather around her, but her feet were cemented to the ground. Riley's mind wouldn't even work! Her breath seemed to be caught in her throat and her eyes grew wide in terror.  
  
But she remembered a few seconds too late that she needn't have worried. Riley's brain began to automatically shut everything down, and she was on the verge of fainting from fear when Strider finally showed up.  
  
Riley stood, the entire time that her friend was fighting, staring at the air in front of her, too scared to move, and too numb to consider ducking out of the way.  
  
The Hobbits stood up slowly, and gathered in the middle of the circle of old stones while Strider walked around the edge of the circle, waving his sword in a warning to any Nazgul who felt like coming back to face him.  
  
"Riley," Frodo breathed, approaching her apprehensively.  
  
Riley's lower lip trembled and Frodo's voice seemed to have triggered her ability to think. "What have I done?" she croaked, tears beginning to flow freely.  
  
That must have been the most puzzling thing she had ever said in front of her friends. "Riley, you saved me!" Frodo exclaimed.  
  
Riley sank to the ground. How could she have messed with the story like that? With the Aragorn-Arwen thing, it was not set in stone, it wasn't in any book, so it was anyone's guess what had happened. But this? "My word, Riley, how stupid can you get? What if they kill him now? Everything could go wrong because of some stupid heat-of-the-moment decision!" she muttered, burying her face in her hands.  
  
A weight fell on her shoulder, and Riley peeked out of her hands to see a very Aragorn-looking Strider leaning over her and squeezing her shoulder. "Riley," he said quietly. "We need to move."  
  
That was it! Since she had probably killed everybody, she might as well make sure that everything else went right. Okay, great, everything was up to her. Lovely. Riley scrambled to her feet and ushered the Hobbits down towards their packs. "Come on, you heard him, time to go!" She sniffed, refusing to let herself continue crying.  
  
So it was up to her to save the world, was it? "We're doomed," a voice in her mind groaned. "Shut up!" she snapped at it.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Riley slumped against a tree, panting. She had been pushing herself as hard as she could, acting as a scout as they marched through the woods. By not stopping to rest, she had kept the rising sense of panic on the outside of her consciousness, and for that, she was grateful to whatever was helping her. A little voice in her brain kept telling her that saving Frodo from a wound was not as big a deal as she was making it out to be, but she chose to ignore that voice.  
  
Riley pushed off of the tree and began to walk again, but Strider stopped her by a tug on her arm. "Riley."  
  
Riley sighed and closed her eyes. "Yes?"  
  
"Look at me." Riley opened her tired eyes and turned to look at her old friend. "Why are you pushing so hard?"  
  
Riley shook her head and pulled her arm out of Strider's grasp, walking away. "What do you think would have happened to Frodo if I hadn't been there?"  
  
"He would have been wounded."  
  
"Did you see the blade that he was going to be stabbed with?"  
  
"No, I did not."  
  
"It was a, uh. . . I can't remember. I cannot believe that I can't remember!" Riley slapped her forehead and walked faster.  
  
"Riley!"  
  
"Look, Strider, just drop it, okay?"  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"Riley, we do not need to stop yet," Strider protested, but Riley still refused to get up.  
  
Frodo looked on with an amused look on his face. Sam glanced back and forth between their guide and their extraardular* friend before beginning to unpack a few food items. Merry and Pippin were trying to figure out a way to get on top of one of the stone trolls that were surrounding the area that Riley had chosen as a camp. She had been walking quickly all day and far into the night, then suddenly dropped to the ground and refused to go any further, all with a very miserable look on her face.  
  
So there they sat for hours on end. Strider was looking quite annoyed at not being able to keep moving toward Rivendell, Merry and Pippin had given up trying to climb the trolls, and settled themselves on the ground with Frodo and Sam to snack on a loaf of bread, while Riley kept glancing up at the sky.  
  
"Strider?" Riley said thoughtfully.  
  
"Yes, Riley?"  
  
"Could you go find some athelas?"  
  
Strider frowned in confusion. "What?"  
  
"Athelas. I would like some; can you go find it?" She glanced at the sky again, hoping that she was remembering the amount of light in the sky correctly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Um. . ." she thought quickly. "I have a boo-boo?"  
  
Strider sighed and climbed to his feet. "You make absolutely no sense, my friend."  
  
Riley allowed a small smile. "But you love me anyways."  
  
Strider groaned and walked off into the forest.  
  
Not long afterwards, they heard the sound of hooves coming towards them. The Hobbits were immediately on their feet, diving for their knives. Riley's mouth quirked up in a smile, and she pushed herself to her feet. A relieved, quiet voice whispered, "Arwen" in her mind.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
*A word I made up, or at least, I think I did. The world that Middle- Earth is on is called "Arda", and Riley is not from Arda. Therefore, I changed the word "extraterrestrial" (which means originating, located, or occurring outside Earth or its atmosphere) to extraardular. Hee hee!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Um. . . if you review, I'll. . . give you a cookie! Well, a virtual cookie, but still. it's a cookie! 


	18. Make New Friends but Keep the Old

A/N: Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee. . . okay, I'm stopping now. Thanks for the reviews, and VIRTUAL COOKIES TO YOU ALL!  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Ten - Make New Friends but Keep the Old  
  
  
  
Arwen trotted in on her majestic white horse, hair waving lightly behind her. She looked exactly as Riley remembered her, and Riley couldn't have been more happy to see her. Now, to correct her mistake. Well, after greeting her old friend, of course.  
  
"Riley!" Arwen cried, springing from her horse.  
  
Riley smiled wearily and fell into her friend's arms, hugging her tightly. "Hi, Arwen."  
  
Arwen stroked Riley's hair in a motherly gesture. "Riley, my dear friend! I have missed you so."  
  
Riley hugged her friend tightly for a moment longer, then stepped back and took a deep breath, trying desperately to control the urge to cry. "Arwen, you need to get Frodo to Rivendell."  
  
Strider suddenly appeared behind Arwen, holding up a plant and looking quite exasperated. "I am assuming that you do not need the athelas, Riley?"  
  
Riley blinked at him, hoping that she was successfully pulling off the innocent look. "What's athelas?"  
  
"That looks like kingsfoil, that does," Sam piped up. "It's a weed."  
  
Riley tried to look surprised. "Oh! Thanks, Sam. Now, Arwen, I wasn't kidding. You need to get Frodo to Rivendell. . . now."  
  
Strider and Arwen exchanged looks, and Arwen nodded. "It is probably the best thing. There are five Wraiths behind you; where the other four are, I do not know."  
  
Riley waved Frodo over and led him to the horse, but Frodo hesitated before he allowed Strider, who was having a conversation with Arwen in Elvish, to lift him onto the horse. "I cannot leave you all. What will the Black Riders do to you if they catch up with you?"  
  
"They will leave us alone because none of us has the Ring." Riley had thought about that before and rattled off her answer without even thinking about it. "Now get on the horse." Strider lifted the Hobbit onto the horse, and Arwen followed gracefully. "See you later, Arwen." Riley grinned at her friend, and silently prayed that this would work.  
  
Arwen smiled back, took one last look at Strider, who advised her to ride hard and not look back, then spurred the horse into a gallop.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sam exclaimed, looking unbelievingly at Riley. "Those Wraiths are still out there!"  
  
Riley smirked and walked back to her pack, shouldering it with a groan. She patted Sam on the head and began walking. "If you're so worried about Frodo, then I suggest we get moving. The sooner we start, the sooner we get to Rivendell."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Riley was not having the best day of her life. Actually, it was more annoying than anything else. Strider and Sam were holding grudges towards her for sending Arwen and Frodo off into Nazgul-infested lands, and Merry and Pippin had been having a heated discussion concerning Elves' ears that had, thus far, lasted for five straight hours. Riley had, sadly, begun doing math problems in her head, which only gave her a headache. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was an apple, it was a banana: it really depended on how you looked at it.  
  
Riley clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. "To convert that to rectangular form, you must first add six squared to two squared and then find the square root of that number. . . their ears do not turn green when they're angry! Then you say two divided by six. . . they are not shaped like a teacup. . . negative tangent. . . argh!" Riley growled quietly in frustration, and gave up on math. Softly, she began to sing, "On thousand bottles of beer on the wall. . . ."  
  
"Wha's that song?" Pippin asked excitedly, finally forgetting about Elf ears.  
  
Riley rolled her eyes and ignored the question, focusing instead on not losing count of the beer bottles. However, Merry and Pippin had decided that it was absolutely imperative that they know the song, and pestered her until finally, somewhere around three hundred twenty bottles of beer, their incessant talk pushed all the numbers out of her head. She groaned and flopped backwards onto the Hobbits, causing them to fall into two crumpled heaps beneath her.  
  
"Ah! Riley, geroff! I can't breathe!" Merry grumbled.  
  
"You really should have thought of that before you opened that annoying little mouth of yours," she thought back at them. She let them fidget and struggle for a moment before belting out, "Sam and Rosie, sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" She kept singing, laughing at Sam as he blushed and disgusted cries of "ew!" came from the other two Hobbits.  
  
"Quiet, Riley," Strider mumbled, kneeling and pressing an ear to the ground. Riley ignored him and kept on singing, but Strider suddenly raised his voice and snapped, "Riley, quiet!"  
  
Riley rolled off the Hobbits and mimicked Strider's position on the ground. All of a sudden, she noticed a deep, soft pounding in the earth. Merry and Pippin were shifting and grumbling at her. She hissed, "Shut up!" Yup, something was pounding on the ground; maybe it was the sun and clouds doing aerobics like on Monty Python. . . .  
  
"Horses," Strider whispered.  
  
Riley glanced at him and noted that he was explaining this to her as a teacher would. Well, if nothing else, it would be an educational experience. She actually liked doing something productive instead of being encouraged to be lazy.  
  
Riley concentrated on the sounds, and carefully counted the different sets. "Are there two?"  
  
Strider shook his head. "Three." He pushed himself up. "Keep the Hobbits here."  
  
"K." Riley kept listening. A few seconds later, the pounding finally slowed to a stop, and Riley climbed to her feet, brushing the side of her head off. "Whelp, we're rescued, y'all."  
  
"What?" asked Merry.  
  
Riley rolled her eyes and enunciated each word. "We are rescued, you all."  
  
Pippin frowned. "You all what?"  
  
Fortunately for him, Strider chose that moment to come back. Following close behind him was a tall, graceful, serene-looking Elf.  
  
Riley studied him closely. She had met many Elves that looked alike, but this one was definitely familiar. "Glorfindel?"  
  
The Elf started, and his eyes widened. "The Elfin Child?" he murmured. "Riley?"  
  
Riley grinned and moved to hug the Elf. "Glorfindel! It is so good to see you again!"  
  
Glorfindel laughed. "I am glad you remember me."  
  
"Me too." Riley patted the Elf on the back and turned to Strider. "What's the deal with the horses?"  
  
"They are sent from Rivendell for us," Strider explained, then turned to Glorfindel and began conversing with him in Elvish. Riley listened for a few seconds before becoming irritating by her lack of ability to speak Sindarin. "Or Quenya," she reminded herself. There was no way she was ever going to be able to understand even an entire sentence in either language. Finally fed up, she tapped Strider on the shoulder. "Hey, what're you talking about?"  
  
Strider looked at her guiltily for a moment before answering. "We were wondering why it is that you have come back."  
  
Riley rolled her eyes. "You did not say my name once. You were talking about Arwen, you dork!" She shoved Strider playfully, ignoring the puzzled expression that flashed over his face.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a tug on her sleeve. She looked down and found the Hobbits looking up at her anxiously. Riley flashed them a small smile. "I think the Hobbits are waiting for information on their friend."  
  
"Undomiel and Frodo reached Rivendell late yesterday afternoon. I was sent to find you and escort you," Glorfindel answered.  
  
Riley felt a tug on her sleeve again. This time it was only Pippin, who was looking sad and weak. "Is there food there?" he asked plaintively.  
  
Riley laughed and wrapped an arm around the Hobbit's shoulders. "Loads and loads of good food, Pip. You ready to go?" Pippin nodded and leaned against her. Riley almost giggled; he was acting as if he was wasting away. "Pippin, do you want to ride with me?"  
  
"Okay," he said frailly.  
  
Riley laughed. "Strider, is that okay?"  
  
Strider nodded. "I'll take Sam and lead the pony. Glorfindel?"  
  
The Elf gave a brief nod and gestured to Merry. "I will take the other Hobbit."  
  
Merry gave Glorfindel an indignant look. "My name is Meriodoc Brandybuck, who are you?"  
  
Riley poked Merry's shoulder. "That was not polite, Merry. This is Glorfindel of Rivendell, and I suggest that you apologize."  
  
Merry glared at her. "I don't think that I need to, Riley. He called me 'the other Hobbit'!"  
  
Riley rolled her eyes. "Because he didn't know your name!"  
  
"Well he didn't bother asking either."  
  
Riley raised a hand to hit the Hobbit but let it fall as an afterthought and groaned in frustration. "Do you want to get to Rivendell or not, Meriodoc?" Merry pouted and nodded. "Well then apologize to Glorfindel."  
  
Glorfindel waved a hand. "I suppose that I owe Master Meriodoc an apology as well. If he will accept mine, I shall accept his."  
  
Riley nudged the upset Hobbit in the shoulder. Merry frowned again, but replied as civilly as he could. "All right, though this *Elf* has insulted the Shire."  
  
Riley smacked Merry upside the head. "Shut up, you Hobbit."  
  
Strider chuckled. "Come on."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"Make sure he does not fall off," Strider warned as he helped Riley settle her arms around Pippin, showing her how to grip the reins correctly.  
  
Riley gave him an annoyed look. "What about me?"  
  
Strider looked exasperated and continued fiddling with her hands and the reins. "All right, now follow Glorfindel."  
  
Riley stuck her tongue out at him. "Glorfindel, can we go fast and lose this jerk?"  
  
The Elf laughed. "Riley, he knows how to find Rivendell on his own."  
  
"So! A Ranger can get lost if he really wants to!"  
  
"Riley. . . do you think that he wishes to become lost?"  
  
Riley rolled her eyes. "Which way is Rivendell?"  
  
Glorfindel gestured to the west. Riley winked, and leaned forward, whispering, "Nora lim" to her horse. Pippin squealed as the horse leapt into motion, and Riley almost lost her balance.  
  
Riley let out a laugh and steadied herself, holding on with her legs. Pippin began screaming in fright. "Oh shut up, Pippin!" she yelled over the wind. "Just hold on and you'll be fine! The horse won't let you fall! WAH!" The horse had suddenly slowed to a stop, and Riley rocked to the side. She grabbed desperately for anything to hold onto, but it didn't work. With a shriek, she fell sideways off the horse.  
  
Pippin gazed down at her for a moment before bursting out laughing. Riley groaned, lifting her head up just enough to glare at the Hobbit, then dropping it back to the ground.  
  
"Riley, what did you do?"  
  
Riley squinted up at Glorfindel and Merry, the latter of which was looking down at her smugly. "Glorfindel, does my horse have a name?"  
  
The Elf nodded. "Oolore."  
  
Riley nodded. "What's it mean?"  
  
"Dream."  
  
Riley nodded again. "Ah. Did we lose him?"  
  
Glorfindel laughed. "No, Riley, we did not."  
  
"Crud." Riley smacked her head on the ground and winced. "Ow! Strider!"  
  
Strider slowed his horse from its trot. "What did I do now?"  
  
Riley rocked her body on the ground. "One, two three. . . heave!" She pushed herself up and tugged on Oolore's light saddle to finish getting up. She walked around in front of Oolore and stroked his nose. "Hey, Oolore. Nice to meet you." Oolore snorted and nudged her arm with his nose. "Well, I'll get on again then, shall I?" Oolore shoved her with his nose again. "Promise not to throw me off again?" Oolore gave an indignant snort and stomped his feet. "All right, all right! Gee whiz! You Elvish horses are a lot smarter than our horses at home."  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh."  
  
. . .  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Oh."  
  
. . .  
  
"Are we there yet?"  
  
"No, Pippin! Now shut your yap!"  
  
"Riley, what's a 'yap'?"  
  
Riley sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Tell you what. Let's play a game to help the time pass."  
  
"All right."  
  
"I bet you a cake that you can't stay quiet until we get to Rivendell."  
  
"That's not a game; that's gambling, Riley!"  
  
"Well then let's gamble to help pass the time, Pip!"  
  
"Yeah, Pip. Why don't you try it?" Merry encouraged.  
  
"Why are you calling me Pip?"  
  
Riley rolled her eyes. "Are you gonna stay quiet or not?"  
  
Pippin looked upside-down at her and squinted, as if concentrating. "Will I really get a cake?"  
  
"Sure. I'll bake it myself." Riley glared back at Strider when he chuckled.  
  
Pippin grinned happily. "A whole cake?"  
  
Riley laughed. "Are you going to stay quiet?"  
  
Pippin made a show of closing his mouth tightly and crossing his arms over his chest. And he stayed silent for the rest of the ride, relieving the others of his incessant chatter.  
  
Glorfindel continued to lead them through the forest, occasionally trotting when Riley pestered him about going too slow. And finally. . . .  
  
"The border of Rivendell. Riley, I doubt that you came this far when you were here last," Glorfindel announced, motioning to the river in front of him.  
  
Riley held back a smirk. "I don't really remember about that."  
  
An hour later, Riley could see their destination. It was just as breathtakingly beautiful as she remembered. It was late in the day, so the sun was barely illuminating the valley, and everything had a sunset glow to it.  
  
Riley suddenly realized that she was not breathing when she became dizzy. Then she grinned. It felt good to be somewhere familiar, especially if that place was inhabited by Elves. Yeah, that was a definite perk.  
  
Finally, Riley was able to dismount. "Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ouchie!" she muttered, trying to force her stiff legs to relax. "Boy is my butt uncomfortable." Oolore snorted. "Oh don't tell me you can understand me!" The horse neighed loudly and stamped his feet. Riley glared at him for a minute before snapping playfully, "Well same to you, Mister!" Oolore stamped a hoof and tossed his head. Riley laughed. "Tell you what, Oolore. If they have any carrots or apples around here, I'll be sure to find you. . . . So that I can eat them in front of you, of course." Oolore made a sound that could only be known as a horse's laugh.  
  
"Riley, I earned a cake!" Pippin called, just before falling off of Oolore.  
  
Riley couldn't help but chuckle. "All right, Pippin. As soon as I learn how to make a cake, you'll have it."  
  
Pippin's eyes went wide. "You mean you don't know how to bake a cake?"  
  
Riley stared back at him, eyes equally wide. "You mean during that entire month you spent in Hobbiton with us and you never noticed that I don't even know how to make a biscuit?"  
  
"But. . . but you. . . you made tea!" Pippin sputtered.  
  
Riley laughed. "All you have to do is heat the water and stick some spices in it, Pippin! If Frodo were here, he'd tell you that the last time I tried to bake *anything*, I. . . ."  
  
"Forgot the flour and the thing burnt up!"  
  
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried, racing past Riley and gripping Frodo's hand. "We came as fast as we could! Are you all right?"  
  
Frodo chuckled. "I'm fine, Sam. I see that you all got here in one piece."  
  
Merry tapped Riley on the arm. "You all?"  
  
"Y'all," she answered.  
  
Merry nodded and sat down on a step, contemplating, and finally understanding the concept of "y'all".  
  
"Riley!"  
  
Riley patted Oolore on the neck once more. "Yes, Frodo?"  
  
"Your room has been prepared and is waiting for you."  
  
A rush of excitement flashed through her, followed immediately but a stab of frustration. She did not feel especially motivated to find the alien- inhabited corridor again.  
  
"Riley, would you like me to show you to your room?"  
  
Riley looked up to find Arwen looking on in amusement. Riley smiled at her, sighing tiredly. "That would be wonderful."  
  
Arwen led her down the labyrinth of corridors, talking quietly of random things that were of no importance, allowing Riley to only half listen in her exhausted state. When they finally reached Riley's room, Arwen helped her into a nightgown and tucked her into her bed. Riley gave the room a quick glance-over, and smiled at Arwen before sinking into the mattress. Her muscles instantly went slack, and the sounds faded away as she slipped into a dreamless sleep.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Guess what guess what! Legolas is in the next chapter. . . . ( ( (  
  
I'll give you. . . virtual cakes if you review! 


	19. One is Silver and the Other is Gold

Chapter Eleven - One is Silver and the Other is Gold  
  
  
  
  
  
Riley had an eerie sense of déjà vu when she awoke to find herself staring up at a very familiar ceiling. It took her a moment to remember where she was, and even then she was a little hazy on how she got to her room and into bed. At any rate, she felt completely rested and much less irritable than she had been when they arrived in Rivendell.  
  
Resisting the urge to burrow down into her pillows and never come out, Riley pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing as muscles burned. Perhaps riding and falling off a horse all day had not been the best idea. She flexed her muscles in her legs, and hissed as they protested the movement. Trying to ignore the stiff and complaining joints, Riley moved her legs off the bed and stood up.  
  
The cool stone beneath her feet felt wonderfully refreshing, gently tugging her away from the fogginess of sleep. She suddenly felt a burst of excitement for the days ahead. She was in Rivendell! She was with her friends! And now, maybe, she could get some answers.  
  
After bathing a bit, Riley pulled open the wardrobe to find a light yellow gown already waiting for her. Riley rolled her eyes to the ceiling and silently asked Arwen if all Elves had freaky foresight like that.  
  
She slipped into the gown and tugged on a pair of light shoes, smoothed the dress in the front, and finally felt ready to go out and face the world again. Well, a city full of friendly Elves, anyway.  
  
Now, if she only knew how to get somewhere. . . .  
  
Riley peered out of her door, making sure that no one was waiting for her. The hallway was empty and quiet except for the soft sounds of nature from close-by. She shut the door quietly behind her and padded down the corridor. As she drew close to the end, she remembered something. . . .  
  
The first time she came to this corner, she had run into Legolas. The possibility of his being there now suddenly leapt out at her. Her heart began to beat faster. What if he was there? No, he could not be. . . he wouldn't be in Rivendell until later. But she had messed up the story, hadn't she? He could be there. . . .  
  
Riley approached the corner cautiously and peeked, but the corridor was empty. Sighing, she reprimanded herself for thinking something stupid like that. Of course he wasn't there yet!  
  
"Okay, left and we're outside. Right, and we're in the corridors. This seems REALLY familiar. No, there won't be a Legolas! Now just make a decision. Shouldn't be hard. . . argh! It's not that hard, Riley! Left, go left!" she muttered.  
  
She nearly ran over Pippin as she sped around the corner. He chuckled and looked up at her. "Strider said that I should make sure that if you're awake, you aren't lost. Are you lost?"  
  
Riley stuck her tongue out at the Hobbit. "No!" she retorted, then murmured under her breath, "Not yet anyway."  
  
Pippin grinned. "Would you like me to take you to the others?"  
  
Riley nodded. "Yeah, all right. I guess that would be good." Pippin was immediately off. He was walking quickly and Riley wondered where all the energy had come from. "So, Pip. . . have you gotten lost yet?"  
  
Pippin shook his head, looking extremely proud. "No. We had a guide yesterday morning, but after that we've been fine."  
  
"Yesterday?" Riley asked. My word, she hadn't slept for two days *again*, had she?  
  
Pippin nodded enthusiastically. "Yup," he replied. Apparently Riley's slang had begun to rub off on him. "You went straight to bed the night we got here, which was two nights ago. Don't worry; you haven't missed anything of importance. Well, excepting all the meals yesterday, but it's really quite early in the morning now, so you haven't even missed today's breakfast, and a splendid breakfast it appears it will be. . . ." He went off on a long dialogue about the meals in Rivendell, and fortunately was able to navigate his way along the various outdoor pathways without getting lost.  
  
Riley zoned out of Pippin's chatter and spent the time studying the things around her. She had not really realized how much she had missed Rivendell over the past few years. It truly was beautiful. . . .  
  
". . . and the berry cake more than made up for your not baking me that cake, Riley."  
  
Riley laughed as they entered the dining hall. "Well I'm glad you enjoyed it, then."  
  
"Riley!"  
  
Riley looked up to find Elrond rising from his seat at the head of the table and coming towards her. He smiled at her and opened his arms in a gesture of welcome. Riley grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck to give him a quick hug.  
  
"Hello, Elrond. Long time no see."  
  
Elrond laughed. "Welcome again to Rivendell, Riley."  
  
"Thanks." Elrond offered her his arm and she took it, allowing him to lead her to the table.  
  
***  
  
Riley and Arwen exited the dining hall together, their arms around each other's waists. Riley recounted several of her adventures in Hobbiton, telling about the day that Gandalf arrived, Merry and Pippin's mischief with the firework, and how the Hobbit lasses had reacted when she asked that they make her a pair of trousers.  
  
Arwen, in turn, told Riley of what had happened in her life after Riley left. Her visit to Rivendell had been a short one, only lasting a few months. After that, she had returned to Lothlorien and had only just come back a month ago. Riley did not press for details on her friend's relationship with Aragorn, but waited patiently as Arwen neared the subject and delicately mentioned it without actually giving away a single thing.  
  
Riley spent the next few days with her friends, gradually learning different routes through the city so that she could actually come to the morning meal without needing an escort. Of course, she still ran into things. . . .  
  
*THUMP* And fell out of things. . . .  
  
"Ow!"  
  
Arwen laughed. "Riley, you have yet to really conquer that tree."  
  
"Hey, I climbed it last time!"  
  
"Yes, but Legolas and Aragorn had to assist you."  
  
Merry and Pippin were quite happy in Rivendell, mostly because food was always available. They found the Hall of Fire very interesting and found that Rivendell felt just as safe as Hobbiton, and quickly adopted it as their new territory. They also managed to find a bit of trouble to get into. . . .  
  
"Merry! Pippin!"  
  
"Quick, Pippin, run!"  
  
"Oi! Get off!"  
  
"Oh, you're in so much trouble!"  
  
"Uh. . . don't worry, Frodo. . . the color will come out of your hair in a few days - YOW!"  
  
The Elves found the two positively amusing.  
  
Frodo and Sam were enjoying Rivendell as well, but were obviously homesick. Frodo spent much of his time in the library and the Hall of Fire. Sam followed him everywhere, and reminded Riley vaguely of a faithful puppy.  
  
Then one day, Riley was skipping down the front steps near the gates when suddenly. . . .  
  
"Well, Riley, what a lovely surprise."  
  
Riley's head snapped up and a delighted grin lit her face. "Hello, Gandalf!"  
  
Needless to say, Frodo was extremely relieved to see his old friend. Elrond and Gandalf disappeared into Elrond's study for hours at a time for the next few days, and Riley finally remembered something. She could ask them for what she wanted to know.  
  
*Knock knock knock*  
  
Riley tugged self-consciously on the edge of her sleeves. She had asked this question before, and no one had had an answer. She desperately wanted to know if there was a reason behind her being in Arda, or if this was just a pointless Mary-Sue adventure. She hoped there was a point, longed for her life to have a meaning.  
  
Elrond was wise; shouldn't he know this?  
  
"Riley," Elrond acknowledged her.  
  
Riley smiled nervously. "Hi. Um, I was wondering if I could ask you something."  
  
Elrond nodded and opened the door wider. "Please, come in."  
  
Riley walked halfway into the room and stopped, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "I was. . . um, I was thinking maybe. . . ."  
  
"Riley," Elrond laughed. He took one of her hands and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You have a question for me. What is it?"  
  
Now Riley felt stupid. "Well, it's something I asked you three years ago." Elrond raised an eyebrow comically, making Riley feel more at ease. She took a deep breath and tried again. "I wanted to know if you have any idea why I'm here."  
  
Elrond shook his head and sighed. "Riley, the only ideas anyone could have would come from the prophecies. I do not know why you are here, but if you want to know, I suggest you do some research."  
  
Riley groaned. "Homework? Oh come on, Elrond!"  
  
But study she did. And all she discovered was that she was really horrible with different languages. Elvish was fairly easy to pick up, if she wanted to know specific words. But when you were skipping the learning-Elvish part and going right to trying to read it. . . no.  
  
Riley slammed the book shut and flopped backwards on her bed. Reading a word, translating, then remembering the word so she could add it to the rest of the words was exhausting. Perhaps Arwen was done with her meeting with her father by now.  
  
Riley stood up and blew her hair out of her face. Too bad she couldn't trust these people to cut her hair the way she wanted them to. Having hair that reached your shoulders really was annoying.  
  
She quickly tied her hair back so that it would stay out of her face and headed out of her room. Hoping to catch Arwen as she left the study, she broke into a run, her feet hitting the floor silently.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, felt a great sense of peace as he entered the gates of Rivendell. This was a home, a haven for the Elves in this world. It was a center, a gathering place. And now it was host to various races of Middle-Earth who had come to discuss some weighty matter with Lord Elrond.  
  
Legolas dismounted and looked around him in admiration. Rivendell truly was a beautiful place. "It's lost a lot of its natural beauty". The words echoed in his ears. Who had spoken them? He searched his memory. It was someone significant, of that he was sure. A woman's voice, soft, mournful. Not someone from home, he knew, but someone he had met here. The colors of the sky had reminded him. . . Riley, the girl from another world. Yes, that was it. So sad that she lived in a world that lacked this loveliness.  
  
His feet automatically took him down the familiar corridors. He had only been to Rivendell a few times since he had met the Elfin Child, but he always visited her room, to remind himself of the girl. After all, what good was anything if you forgot it?  
  
The girl had been intriguing, he had to admit. She was a puzzle, one that refused to be solved. She had seemed happy, and had glowed with happiness as her spirit healed, but there was always want of something in her eyes, something that she held from herself. She had gained confidence in herself while she was in Rivendell, but other than that, nothing had come of her being there. They had become friends, yes, but it was unlikely that they would see each other again.  
  
So sad that her world pressured their children to reach for the stars, when they should be reaching to for the tops of the trees.  
  
Legolas was lost in his thoughts as he came to the corner near Riley's room, and did not notice the soft whisper of footsteps until it was too late.  
  
Something thin and soft hit him, and they both stumbled back. Legolas instinctively reached out to catch the thing, balancing both of them easily. He looked down, and was completely shocked to find two brilliant green eyes staring up at him in surprise.  
  
"Legolas!" Was it really she? Or had his thoughts so consumed him that they had manifested a reality? Riley looked hardly older than the last time he had seen her. Her face was more matured, her hair was longer and pulled back loosely. . . but it was her!  
  
"Riley." He blinked, suddenly aware that his mouth had been uncharacteristically hanging open. "Mellonim!"  
  
A grin lit the girl's face, and suddenly she looked more like the Riley that he had first met. She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a joyous hug. "Legolas! I'm so glad you're here!"  
  
Questions ran through Legolas's mind. Why was she here? How had she been these past years? What had happened after she had returned to her world? He voiced one. "How long have you been here?"  
  
Riley looked up at the ceiling and bit her lip, concentrating. "Well, we've been in Rivendell for a couple of weeks. . . and I've been in Middle-Earth for. . . a year, maybe?" She laughed. "I'm not really sure."  
  
Legolas smiled down at his little friend and he embraced her again. "It is good to see you again, Little One."  
  
Riley laughed. "Legolas, I'm not little!"  
  
Legolas gave her a mischievous look. "How old are you, then?"  
  
"Eighteen - well, nineteen, I guess, why?"  
  
"I am over two thousand years old."  
  
Riley snorted. "Yeah, in Middle-Earthian years." She patted him on the head and then stepped around him and skipped off. "Lovely to see you again, but I'm on my way to try and catch Arwen after a meeting. See you around, eh?" she called as she disappeared from view.  
  
"Well," Legolas thought, shaking his head in amazement. "Apparently she knows her way around now."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Yes, I know. . . horribly short, isn't it? AND it took forever to write! Well now at least I can get on with the story and don't have to worry about reuniting any more characters. Phew! It was hard work, I tell you!  
  
Anywho. review! And for those of you who wanted to know, I CAN bake a cake, and a darn good one too! Unless, of course, you prefer my delicious lemon meringue pie. . . . Okay, I'm getting a little full of myself here. Bubye! 


	20. The Ring's Connection

**A/N:** Okay… I feel bad… it took me _forever_ to update! But I did learn how to do italics. Yey! Hm… I liked being in Legolas's head… I like controlling minds… *evil grin*

Chapter Twelve – The Ring's Connection 

"What do you think happened to her?" the reporter with the eye-patch asked. 

Something that resembled guilt flashed across the young man's face. "I have a few ideas, but if I told you she'd probably come back to haunt me."

The reporter glared at him and snapped, "Don't smile!" He turned to Peter Jackson. "What is your theory, PJ?"

The director pushed his glasses back up his nose and used hand gestures to illustrate as he spoke. "My sources indicate that the Ring's power bounced off the sun, was fed through the spotlights at her concert, and when it hit Riley it formed a connection between her and Middle-Earth, thus making her disappear."

Riley suddenly felt a strong falling sensation, and she moved violently to catch herself. Her eyes popped open, and she found that she hadn't really been falling at all; she was still in a chair in the library with a basic beginning-Elvish book on her lap. 

And that was the third weirdest dream she'd ever had. The first two had involved deflated horses and getting married to N'SYNC… but she didn't like to talk about that. Besides, this dream had disturbed her in more than one respect. What the heck had Adriel been doing in her dream, and why was he a reporter? And what was up with the scientific description of her disappearance? Had she no imagination at all? The thing that truly made her upset, though, had been Jeremy. He had looked so upset, like he felt guilty for not knowing what had happened. What if people were searching for her right now?

Riley rubbed her chest, trying to sooth the feelings of guilt away. 

*Clang* Had there been someone on the upper level before? Riley set her book aside as she spotted a very familiar man walking down the stairs. She leapt up and hurried out the door. 

"Boy, are you a Sean Bean look alike," she chirped happily, falling into stride with the man. 

Boromir looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "I do not know what you speak of," he said, a repelling hint lacing his words. 

Riley ignored his rudeness. "I like the look; very medieval Asia."

He turned to her, exasperated. "Is there something you want?" he snapped. 

"And we need to work on your manners, but other than that…"

"Who are you?"

"And again with the rudeness, gee whiz!"

Boromir rolled his eyes, a gesture that surprised Riley, and continued walking. Riley hurried to keep up with him. "Why didn't you put Narsil back properly?" she asked. 

Boromir snorted. "I do not wish to speak with you, little girl." He walked faster and disappeared around a corner, leaving Riley standing with her mouth hanging open.

Riley gave a frustrated sigh and threw her hands in the air. She had always assumed that she would be the one that wouldn't like Boromir. But now, when she had tried to befriend him… she had never thought that maybe it would be the other way around; that Boromir would not like _her_. She turned to the railing, gazing out at the twilight. 

Everything was still. Not even nature could be heard. "This is creeping me out," Riley muttered. She jumped over the railing, her feet making a satisfying thump as they hit the dirt. 

"You do know that you're supposed to be on this side of the railing, right?" a voice said from behind her. 

Riley turned around and stuck her tongue out at Frodo. "It's too quiet; I was looking for something to do."

"Well, Elrond wishes to speak with you. Won't that be entertaining?" Frodo motioned for her to come with him, and began to walk away. Riley figured it was probably best if she followed Frodo, even though she was getting better at knowing her way around. 

"So, Frodo, how do you like Rivendell?" she asked cheerfully. 

Frodo shrugged. "It is wonderful. I had missed spending time with Bilbo."

Riley smiled, wrapping an arm loosely around the Hobbit's shoulders. "I remember."

***

"And you have read about this entire situation?"

Riley felt like giggling, but bit her lip and nodded solemnly when she caught the serious expression on Elrond's face. "All about it." Elrond and Gandalf exchanged looks. Riley waited a second for them to continue with the twenty questions, but when they didn't, she prompted, "Why?" When the two elders exchanged looks again, Riley decided that that was definitely annoying. 

"Riley," Elrond began cautiously, pulling up a chair in front of her and sitting down, "Would you be willing to help us defeat this evil?"

Riley didn't have to think about that one. "Sure. How do I help?"

Once again, Elrond and Gandalf looked at each other. "Is there any way that you could instruct us as to how we should go about winning this war?"

Riley looked carefully at Elrond, realization suddenly dawning on her. "You want me to tell you what happens," she stated. Boy, that glancing back and forth between the two men was really getting annoying. Riley stared incredulously at them. "You know I can't do that! It's against the rules."

Elrond looked exasperated and threw his hands up in frustration. "Valar! Do you not want to help your friends, child?"

Riley wrinkled her nose at the _old_ Elf and glared. Just because he was probably three thousand years older than her didn't mean that he was that smart… maybe. 

And stupid old Istari for being able to read minds! Gandalf smiled slightly at her facial expression. "Perhaps she is right to not disclose anything prematurely, my friend," he said.

Riley nodded emphatically, retaining the pout that she had found suited her very well. Elrond sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Would you be willing to join the Council tomorrow morning?" he asked. 

Riley's mouth dropped open. She hadn't been expecting to be invited! She had already been planning to hide with Merry and Pippin, since Sam ought to have his time in the limelight. She should ask why she was invited. She should figure out what to wear. She should figure out… "Where am I gonna sit?"

***

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands on the brink of destruction; none can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. All races are bound to this one fate, this one doom." Elrond paused, most likely for dramatic effect, then turned to Frodo and gestured to the podium in the middle of the circle. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

Riley gazed across the empty space in the middle of the Council at Frodo as he stood up and reluctantly placed the Ring on the podium in clear sight for everyone. Riley scrunched down in her chair, trying to hide from the tendril of power that she felt emanating from the Ring. Instead, the power wrapped around her and tickled her senses, teasing her with promises of power and importance. Riley tried to shake the feeling off, but it only gripped her tighter, making her increasingly uncomfortable. She glanced up a Legolas for reassurance, but his piercing blue eyes were focused on the Ring wonderingly. 

Aragorn must have noticed her squirming, because, although his eyes remained on the Ring, his hand drifted over to give her a comforting squeeze on the hand. 

Boromir stood up slowly and walked towards the podium hesitantly. "In a dream, I saw the eastern sky grow dark. But in the West, a pale light lingered, voices crying, 'Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's bane is found.'" He reached for the Ring, and suddenly there was a loud crack of thunder, followed by a loud, pounding deep voice that drove unintelligible words into Riley's brain. She cringed. The words didn't make any sense to her, but the meaning was not lost. 

Gandalf stood, countering the dark words with his own in a booming voice. Riley glanced from him to Frodo to Legolas. The Elves were wincing and going pale. Riley swallowed, trying with all her might to push the darkness away, but found that she was powerless to help anyone in that moment. Finally, the cloud that was hiding the sun seemed to disappear and the voices stopped. 

Now, Elrond looked, well… peeved. "Never before has the dark tongue been spoken in Imladris," he grumbled. Or, at least, that's what it sounded like to Riley. The heavy weight of the darkness had gone, and although the pressure from the Ring remained, it felt extremely light compared to the two combined. 

"Forgive me, Lord Elrond. But the Dark Tongue may soon be heard in every corner of the West. No good can come of the Ring," Gandalf replied, and Riley noticed that he was matching Elrond's upset tone. He sounded tired, too.

Boromir stood again, shaking his head. Riley shook her head right back at him and glared. "It is a gift; a gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay by the blood of our people, all your lands safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!" Riley snorted and Boromir spun on her, glaring.

"You cannot wield it," Aragorn declared. "None of us can. The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master!"

Boromir's expression changed from annoyance to disdain. "And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Riley had to remind herself that she didn't need to spring up and defend her friend; Legolas was already doing it. 

"This is no mere Ranger," he said angrily. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."

Disdain melted into surprise. "Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?"

"And heir to the throne of Gondor." Riley would have jumped up and done a victory dance if she hadn't realized that Legolas's words had come off as just plain spiteful. 

Now Aragorn's words made more sense! Unfortunately, in that moment her mouth chose, for the first time in her life, to speak before her brain could process the words. "Havo dad, Legolas," she imitated, leaving Aragorn to close his mouth, since it was already open to speak the words. 

Legolas blinked at her in surprise and slowly sank back into his chair. Riley could understand his shock. This was the first time she could remember that she had actually spoken Elvish without singing it. Too bad she was only repeating something she'd heard. 

Boromir, however, did not seem to notice that the Elf had stopped protesting under the order of a woman. "Gondor has no king," he grumbled. "Gondor needs no king."

Gandalf, as usual, stepped in to smooth things over. "Aragorn is right; we cannot use it."

"You have only one choice, then. The Ring must be destroyed," Elrond said. 

Riley glanced over at Gimli the Dwarf, remembering that he was about the break a perfectly good axe. Well, no harm in stopping him.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Gimli exclaimed, jumping from his chair and lifting his axe to strike at the Ring. 

Riley sprang up and had only begun to warn him ("Gimli, don't…") when the axe hit the Ring and a great blast of power shot out from it. Riley and Gimli were the only ones standing, and were sent flying backwards. Gimli was fortunate, and only crashed into the ground. Riley, on the other hand, landed in a giant prickly bush. 

Elrond spoke as if nothing had happened. "The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor, and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came." Once again, he paused for dramatic effect. "One of you must do this."

In the silence afterwards, Riley tumbled out of the bush. "Ow!" she whimpered, brushing the prickles off of her clothes and out of her hair. She looked up, but no one was paying attention. Riley glared at Elrond. "Oh sure, ignore the only girl at the Council. Very tactful, Elrond." Boromir chuckled slightly and she turned her gaze to him. "Oh shut up, Boromir!" Boromir frowned at her. Riley stomped back up the steps and slumped into her chair. "Okay, where were we?"

Aragorn leaned closer and murmured, "Elrond proposed that one of us take the Ring to Mordor to destroy it."

Boromir shook his head. "One does not simply walk into Mordor," he said, as if the idea were the stupidest thing in the world. "Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air that you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly."

Boy, Legolas must have just been having a bad day. "Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The Ring must be destroyed!"

And Gimli didn't seem all that happy that the Elves were getting to say more than the Dwarves. "And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?"

"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir asked vehemently. 

Gimli continued as if he hadn't heard him. "I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" The Elves sprang up to defend themselves, and the Dwarves pulled themselves out of their chairs to join Gimli. "Never trust an Elf!" Gimli yelled. 

The Men had jumped up too and were arguing along with everyone else. Even Gandalf was joining in. Riley, feeling especially angry with Boromir, walked right up to him and started shouting, "Don't you understand? While you're here fighting among yourselves, Sauron's power grows! No one can escape it; you'll all be destroyed!" Boromir opened his mouth to reply, but Riley silenced him with a swish of her hand as she realized that Frodo was speaking. 

"I will take the Ring to Mordor," Frodo said, then his voice faltered uncertainly. "Though – though I do not know the way."

Riley smiled softly at the little Hobbit and, before anyone could protest, she strode over to him and knelt down to give him a hug. "I'll come with you if I can convince Elrond," she whispered. She stood up and walked around behind the Hobbit as Gandalf came forwards. 

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it's yours to bear," he said, patting Frodo on his shoulder and standing next to Riley. 

Aragorn stood up from his seat and knelt down in front of Frodo much as Riley had done. "If by my life or death I can protect you, I will." Riley noticed Elrond and Gandalf sharing one of their little smiles as Aragorn continued, "You have my sword." Riley suddenly remembered that she could finally call him Aragorn again!

"And you have my bow." Legolas stood next to Gandalf. Riley gave him a small smile. 

"And my axe," Gimli said, holding up an undamaged axe. Riley had always wondered where he got that from, but guessed that he borrowed it from a friend, though that would mean that he was volunteering his friend's axe and not his and that… shutting up. Riley turned her attention to Legolas just in time to see him roll his eyes. She stifled a snicker. 

Boromir walked slowly towards Frodo. "You carry the fates of us all, Little One." Riley blinked, recognizing the name as something that Legolas called her. Strange. "If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done." Riley wanted to roll her eyes. 

"Here!" Riley had forgotten about Sam, but remembered just in time to move out of the way a bit so that the Hobbit could be through. "Mr. Frodo's not goin' anywhere without me," he declared, crossing his arms. 

Elrond looked amused. "No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is invited to a secret council and you are not." He looked at the Hobbit pointedly. 

Riley looked straight ahead just in time to see two heads pop out from behind their respective pillars. "Oi! We're coming too!" Merry hollered as he and Pippin ran up to joint he group. "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."

Pippin nodded enthusiastically. "Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission… quest… thing." He nodded again for emphasis. 

"Well that rules you out, Pip," Merry muttered. Pippin started to nod until he understood. 

"Nine…" Elrond began, but Riley cleared her throat. Elrond shook his head decidedly and mouthed _nine_ at her. 

Riley shook her head vehemently and mouthed back. _Sauron_. The nine might be a match for the nine Black Riders, but what about the Dark Lord? 

Elrond looked pained, but altered his speech with a look at Riley that promised a heated discussion later. "Ten Companions. So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring." There was that dramatic thing again.

"Right," Pippin said happily. "Where're we going?"

#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#

Right, okay… review please! Sorry that this chapter took so long in coming. In the next chapter, I can promise that Riley won't just be let into the Fellowship that easily, and we'll start the basis for some of that Legolas/Riley stuff, okay? Ciao, mellonim!


	21. Priceless

A/N: I know, I know… I'm horrible at this updating thing. But you have no idea how hard it is to write arguments! Especially when they're supposed to be serious and not ditzy. 

Chapter Thirteen – Priceless 

If there had been a clock in the room, it would have been the only thing that dared make a sound. In fact, Riley would have welcomed the monotonous tick-tocking. But, as it was, she was still sitting in a deadly quiet room with the other future gold-class Fellowship members and the Lord of Rivendell.

A gorgeous dress that put you at a disadvantage in a room of males – pricks in the finger and pride.

Knowledge of a few Elvish phrases and the future of the world – hours of reading and watching movies. 

Getting on Pippin's good side – a cracker.

Making faces at Boromir behind Elrond's back and getting away with it – priceless. 

For everything else there's the gold-class Fellowship card, guaranteed to get you out of anything because you're cute (does not apply if you're related in any way to Gimli). Rates may not apply west of the Lone Mountain; batteries not included (see store for details). 

Riley bit her lip and shook with silent laughter. She really ought to stop zoning out, even if it was boring in the real world. Then again, who decided that things were real? And who said that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet? Personally, she thought that if a rose were called a skunk, no one would want to get close enough to smell it. 

Riley giggled at the mental image of sticking a skunk in Boromir's face, and then felt incredibly stupid when she fell out of her chair. Elrond whipped around and gave her a reproachful look. Riley pulled herself into the chair and muttered a sheepish, "Sorry." Somehow she felt that her little display didn't exactly earn her brownie points with Boromir. 

Surprisingly, it wasn't Elrond or Gandalf who spoke first. It was Legolas. "You're not going."

Riley's mouth dropped open and she glared. "And why am I not going?" she asked. 

"You are too young." Riley gave him a look that suggested that that was not enough. "It is too dangerous," he added. 

Groaning, Riley stood and reached towards Legolas in a pleading gesture. "Leaf, come on." Boromir snorted and she rounded on him. "What?" she snapped.

Boromir smirked. "It is simply amusing that they would even consider letting a girl come on a quest such as this."

Riley rolled her eyes. "It's cuz I'm the Elfin Child, duh." When Boromir did not react, she muttered, "Great, I have a good comeback and he doesn't even know what I'm talking about. Just wonderful."

"Riley, none of these excuses is enough to justify risking your life!" Elrond exclaimed. "You are too young and it is too dangerous."

"Hey, I can shoot arrows!" she argued. 

"Hand-to-hand combat?"

"You sound like some army commando, and no, I have almost no skill in hand-to-hand combat. But the Hobbits don't either!"

"So you would put your friends' lives in danger on a whim?" Boromir sneered. 

Riley wanted to snap back, but instead shouted, "Take five!" and stormed out the door onto the balcony. She slumped against the railing and let out a frustrated groan. She had to come up with some reason for her going and fast. The problem was, her mind was coming up with absolutely zip, zilch, nada, nothing… shutting up. She didn't know why it was such a big deal. She knew everything that would happen and would definitely be more comfortable if she stayed. Maybe she could even convince Elrond to let her ride to Lothlorien. 'Course, then she'd have to meet Scary-Lady, who she would undoubtedly meet soon anyway… shutting up again. But if she didn't go, what was the point in being there?

"What are you thinking about?" Legolas asked quietly as he leaned against the rail next to her. 

Glancing sideward at him, Riley sighed. "Just trying to come up with some reason for why I'm here. Last time I can understand, but now? If I don't go with you guys, then what is the point in my knowing what'll happen and being here? I just don't understand."

"Sometimes the most important things in life are the things we never understand," Legolas offered. Riley laid her head tiredly on the railing and Legolas reached over to pat her soothingly on the back.

"Is there any reason that I haven't heard that you don't want me to go? Because I don't agree with the others."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Legolas studying her, gauging whether or not he should tell her. "I do not want you to be injured, and I do not think that you are ready for something of this importance."

Riley frowned and turned to him. "How so?"

Legolas eyed her warily and admitted reluctantly, "I do not believe that you have the maturity that will be needed."

Whatever Riley had been expecting, that had not been it. She quickly reviewed her behavior over the past month and came to a startling realization. Good Frederick, she'd been acting like Merry and Pippin. No wonder they wouldn't let her go. She had been acting like a child. Her face fell. Now they'd never let her go. 

No one had dared to tell her no in so long… they'd never had a reason to. All of a sudden, Riley missed her mother and couldn't help feeling that she would make things all better. Her mind immediately sought out the closest mother figure… which happened to be the Lady of the Wood. Great. 

Riley walked solemnly back into the office, Legolas right behind her. She surveyed the occupants of the room and then said quietly, "I'm going. I don't have to be a part of the Fellowship, but I'm going."

"Riley," Gandalf said sternly. "You cannot."

"I can too," she spat stubbornly. 

Elrond shook his head. "I will not allow it."

"You can't stop me!" Riley declared, stomping her foot, not able to hold back her frustrated tears any longer. She ran out of the office and fled to her room where she threw herself on her bed and wept until she fell into a fitful sleep. 

***

Something cool and wet was patting her eyes gently, soothing the stinging of tears away. Riley felt stiff and still just as frustrated as she was before she fell asleep. She blinked her eyes open slowly, trying to get rid of the blurriness. Eventually the colorful blob that was dabbing her face materialized into Arwen. The Elf attempted to give her a small smile and almost succeeded, but looked too serious to offer any reassurance. 

Riley did not feel like moving and lay still as Arwen carefully used a wetted cloth to comfort her eyes. Riley swallowed and whispered hoarsely, "How long have I been asleep?"

Arwen set the rag aside. "Nearly a day. The Hobbits are worried about you."

Riley gave a sorry attempt at a snort of amusement. "What, they miss their playmate?"

Arwen gave her a disapproving look. "Riley, what Legolas said was not meant to offend you. He was speaking the truth."

Rolling her eyes, Riley rolled over so that her back was turned to her friend. "Great, so he told you that he thinks I'm a child."

"Riley, you are. You have only just become an adult in your world. And you must understand that there is nothing wrong in having childlike tendencies! We find it endearing and refreshing."

Riley struggled to keep from looking like she was going to cry. "Is that how everyone sees me? As a child?"

Arwen began playing with Riley's hair lightly. "Do you remember how we praised your insight and maturity when we had first met you? That still stands, but these are different circumstances, when we must judge whether your intelligence will be enough to protect you on this journey."

Riley curled into a ball and blinked rapidly to try and hide the tears. "I finally figured out how I belonged at home and now I come here to find that there's no place for me. If I don't go with the Fellowship then what is the point in my even being here?"

"Perhaps my father would allow you and I to travel to Lothlorien to Galadriel. Surely since she predicted your coming, she would know why you are here," Arwen suggested. 

But Riley shook her head. "You have to stay here, sorry."

There was a pause in their conversation, and then Arwen began hesitantly, "Riley… Aragorn is going with the Fellowship."

Riley sniffed and frowned. What was Arwen getting at? "Yeah." When Arwen did not continue directly, Riley peeked over her shoulder and then rolled onto her back and sat up. "What?"

Arwen glanced nervously at her hands, breaking the typical Elvish calmness. "I… I will not see him for some time and…." 

Riley suddenly understood and shook her head. "No, Arwen, I'm sorry. I can't tell you what will happen, you know that."

Arwen looked up with pleading eyes. "Mellonim, surely it will not change anything. I will not tell anyone, and it will not affect anything!"

Again, Riley shook her head. "Arwen, it will affect your decisions! If I was allowed to tell you I would, honestly."

Arwen gave a frustrated sigh. "Boromir has been wanting to speak with you," she said, rising and pulling open the wardrobe doors. She gave Riley a bright smile and practically dove into the closet. Riley burst out laughing as Arwen popped back out, looking rather ruffled. "I find it wonderfully refreshing that you seem to have rubbed off on me," Arwen laughed, smoothing her hair. 

Riley fell into a fit of giggles and had a hard time stopping while Arwen helped her dress and then brush her hair. When Riley finally emerged from her room, she felt her spirits temporarily lightened. She felt glad, for once, that her somewhat childish behavior allowed her to brush off hurtful things at least for a short time.

She was skipping down a hall when a male voice said quietly, "Milady…." 

Riley spun around and laughed. "No one has called me that in a while. What's up, chicken butt?" She slapped herself in the forehead. "Doh! Sorry. Uh… Arwen said you had been wanting to talk to me." Boromir shook his head at her display and she kept going. "You know, you may not realize it, but I'm not always like this. I'm actually very normal. Well, not your kind of normal; my kind of normal. I guess that doesn't make any sense, because you don't even know who I am, but…" She was forced to stop with Boromir placed his hand over her mouth. For a second, though, she kept talking, not noticing that her own voice had become a mumbling insensible babbling sound. 

"I _did_ wish to speak with you, though I hope you will let me do my share of the talking," he said teasingly. 

Riley's nose wrinkled and she gave an exaggerated sigh. "All _right_."

Boromir smirked. "I believe that when we first met you had caught me on a somewhat frustrating day. Your naiveté only agitated me further, and I apologize for my rudeness."

Riley blinked. Aw, this made things difficult. She couldn't _like_ him; he was gonna_ die_, for goodness' sake! And blast her stupid quick-thinking mind for coming up with an answer to that! _Everyone dies_! Riley supposed that she looked like a fish moving her mouth like that, but his apology had caught her off guard. She stepped back and bowed her head briefly. "My name is Riley Ashton. A pleasure to meet you, good sir."

Boromir smiled triumphantly and bowed to her. "And I am Boromir, son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor.

"Wow, you have a long name," Riley teased. Boromir laughed. "Can I call you Boromir or do I have to run around saying 'Boromir son of Denethor Steward of Gondor in the West' all the time?" she continued, earning more laughter from Boromir. 

"Boromir would be lovely."

Riley grinned and took the serious comment and turned it into a joke. "You're right; Boromir would be lovely if we just did something with his hair…." She reached up and pulled a few strands of his hair up onto the top of his head. She squinted, then dropped the hair and sighed. "No, we're wrong. I don't think he can be lovely. Loverly!" She began prancing around singing, "Oh, so loverly sittin' abso-bloomin-lutely still. I would never budge till spring crept over the windowsill!" She grabbed Boromir's hands and started tugging him into the dance. "Someone's head restin' on my knee! Warm and tender as 'e can be! Who takes good care of me, oh won't it be loverly!" By the time she ran out of words to the song, they were both panting and laughing hysterically. "See?" Riley exclaimed between breaths. "You see how much fun I am when you don't bite my head off?" 

Boromir tousled her hair and chuckled. "And to think that I did not like you at first."

Riley shrugged and leaned against the wall. "It's understandable. After all, I was being annoying and, obviously, my usual childish self." She scuffed her shoe on the floor dejectedly. 

Sensing the change in her mood, Boromir joined her on the wall. "Why is it so important to you that you join us?"

Again, she shrugged. "See, I don't even know! I just start arguing every time someone brings it up. It's like I just always expected that I would go along, and all of a sudden I can't. And that's another thing. People are all of a sudden telling me 'no'. No one does that at home and I guess that I'm just not used to it."

Boromir nodded. "The Elves tried to explain your situation to me, but I'm afraid that it is a bit hard to believe." 

Riley's face brightened. "I forgot about that!" she exclaimed, pushing off the wall and grabbing Boromir's hand. "Come on!" She ran down the halls to her room with Boromir behind her. When they reached the room she began rummaging around in the wardrobe, finally emerging with her camera in her hand. "See!" She held the camera up and snapped a quick picture, luckily with no flash. Turning the camera around, she showed the picture to Boromir on the display. "There you go! Proof."

Boromir's eyebrows raised in surprise. "How…"

Riley shook her head violently. "Don't ask how it works cuz I honestly have absolutely no clue. I just take the pictures."

***

The room was filled with quiet chattering and soft laughter. Everyone was at some level of happiness that day… everyone except for Riley. She sat silently in her chair, shooting sour looks at Elrond and grumbling to herself. The grumbling didn't bother anyone, because she did that all the time, but several of the people in the room were chuckling at her disgruntled expressions. Legolas kept glancing across the table at her and finally leaned forwards to say, "If you keep giving him those sour looks you are going to make him taste awful." 

Riley giggled and finally quit looking at the Head-Elf, as she called Elrond. Not feeling particularly hungry, Riley decided that she would try and spear the grapes with her fork, a skill that she had never mastered. She tried the little-bit-of-pressure-at-a-time thing, but the grape slipped out from under the fork and went flying off the plate and onto the floor. After several different tries, Riley eventually began stabbing angrily at the remaining grapes, and finally picked one up and threw it away in frustration.

Unfortunately grapes did not appear to like Pippin, for it hit him squarely in the forehead. Riley snorted and stared down at her plate… sadly, her eyes fell on the rest of the grapes and inevitably led up to the thought, "Throwing grapes at people is entertaining". She glanced up at Legolas saw him shaking his head amusement. She quickly snatched another grape and tossed in at his head then looked innocently up at the ceiling. 

Legolas looked up in surprise and Riley bit the inside of her bottom lip and her diaphragm tightened, hopefully hiding any traces of laughter. As soon as Legolas's gaze moved elsewhere, she grabbed up a few more grapes and fired them at Boromir, Aragorn, Sam, and Merry. Each time a grape hit someone, she made sure to look otherwise occupied. 

Suddenly, something smacked her on the temple, and she looked up sharply to see Boromir smirking at her. Riley did her best to look offended, but failed miserably. Boromir's eyes darted to Elrond and then connected with Riley's eyes with a daring glint. Riley shook her head vehemently, and Boromir shrugged, reaching for one of his own grapes and looking back at her. Riley bit her lip and fought a giggle. There was no way that he would dare….

Okay, so she was wrong. Boromir's grape whacked Elrond on the nose. Riley burst out laughing and immediately realized that that had been a mistake. She clamped her mouth shut, but too late. 

Legolas shot her a sympathetic look before his gaze fell on someone behind her. Riley froze as someone's hand clasped her shoulder. "Join me in my study, please, Riley."

Riley swallowed and stood to follow Elrond out of the room. They reached the office and Elrond took his seat behind the desk, while Riley shifted uncomfortably in front of it. Elrond gave her an exasperated look. "Is this how you planned to argue your point?" he asked. 

Riley ran a hand through her hair. "What?"

"You wish to go with the Fellowship, and I tell you that you are too young. You respond by throwing fruit at my guests and myself? Is this supposed to help you prove that you should be allowed to go?" 

Riley couldn't seem to stay still that day, adding to the childish guilty appearance. "I didn't throw that one that hit you."

Elrond gave her an amused look. "And I suppose that Boromir was not influenced by you at all?" He laughed. "Riley, you asked me some time ago if I knew why you are here, and I told you that I did not. But that does not mean that I do not know who might help you." 

Riley held her breath. 

"I am sending you as far as Lorien with the Fellowship."

***

The next couple of months were spent preparing for the Fellowship's departure. Riley resigned herself daily to studying the maps in the library and learning more about nature's reactions and warnings. The rest of her time was devoted to keeping everyone's spirits up. With the upcoming quest, Frodo especially was prone to lapsing into depressive moods, and often needed to be reminded that the world was not doomed yet. 

When Riley was not with her original group of friends, she could usually be found in a bantering match with Boromir. Riley discovered that Boromir grounded her enough to help give her the ability to understand reasoning from other points of view, and that she supplied an untainted view of the world for Boromir. And she hated the fact that the relationship was doomed no matter how she looked at it. 

And Legolas… he was always there for her, oftentimes demanding that she face life without her tendency at playfulness. He had been upset when Elrond announced his intention to send Riley with the Fellowship, and had taken it upon himself to give her some instruction in hand-to-hand combat. Naturally, being surrounded by men, she had more than one teacher.

And by the time the Fellowship departed from Rivendell, she could actually lift a sword!

#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#

So, how'd I do? Please review… you know, I have no idea where that grape thing came from… it just _POPPED_ out! Lol J 

Guess what. They actually get to _leave_ Rivendell now! 


	22. Steer Clear of Trees in the Future, Rile...

**A/N:** *whacks herself over the head with a frying pan* Ow. Okay… I took _forever_ to update, like usual. So I need to explain why I'm taking so long with this. Well, there are two reasons. (1) I'm taking my time so that I will actually _have_ the third movie to reference when I get to that point, and (2) I'm just plain lazy. *sigh* I'm working on that, though, so try and be patient while I come up with more and more stuff to fill the pages of what is promising to be a **very** long story.

Chapter Fourteen – Follow the Yellow Brick Road 

Did Middle-Earth ever have tornadoes? The answer is yes, but only one. To see the effects, you would have had to be in Rivendell in the Elfin Child's room before the Fellowship of the Ring was to leave. Well, it might have been a tornado. It could have been a bomb and it would not have looked much different. But truthfully, it was only a teenage girl who was packing for a long trip. 

Riley had finally managed to make a pack of what she thought was a reasonable size filled with what she felt were the necessities. So, having nothing else to do and wanting to do things right, she dragged the pack down the corridors to Elrond's study to have her packing approved. 

Elrond took one look at her pack and asked, "And where are you taking all of that?"

Riley rolled her eyes and dragged the pack back to her room and dug out her extra shoes, and then brought it back to Elrond. 

"Are you planning on relocating to another wing?"

Back and forth she went, each time removing more and more clothes and accessories (after all, she is a girl) from her bag. She eventually ended up with a rolled up blanket, her camera, an extra cloak, and some simple survival tools (AKA a knife, sharpening stone, a crude chunk of wrapped up soap, etc.). She stood, looking gloomily down at the extra slippers and her favorite clothes. Chances were, after she left, she would never see them again. 

She finally brought the pack back to Elrond. 

"Is that what you are bringing with you?"

Riley nodded. 

"Excellent job, Riley. Now, slip this somewhere in there and try to keep it safe." He handed her a letter. "You are to present it to Lady Galadriel upon your arrival in Lorien."

Riley nodded again as she tucked the letter safely into her pack. "Okay. Does it need to come directly from me or can I ask Haldir to deliver it?"

Elrond blinked at her, and she nearly laughed out loud at his startled expression. "I would prefer it," he said slowly, "if you delivered it yourself."

"All righty then. But why didn't you give it to Aragorn or something?"

Riley had discovered, over the last couple of months of waiting to leave, that she had a knack for annoying people. All she had to do was act innocent… and she got away without a scratch every time. 

If Elrond had been human, he probably would have growled at her. She had chosen a bad time to weasel her way under his skin, apparently. "The letter concerns you," he said carefully, "and I would like _you_ to deliver it." Riley opened her mouth to ask another question, but Elrond held up a hand to silence her and looked meaningfully towards the door. Riley sighed and trudged out of the office. 

Merry and Pippin were waiting for her outside. Pippin looked up and caught sight of the pack she was carrying almost immediately. 

"Is that food?" he asked excitedly, scrambling to his feet. 

Riley snorted. "No, Pippin, it's not food."

Merry elbowed Pippin in the ribs. "We came to get you because that Elf that's coming with us – what's his name, Pip?"

Pippin tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Lego… Leaf… Lassie…."

Riley was barely able to refrain from laughing. "Legolas," she supplied. 

"Right, Legolas. Well, he suggested that you might like to go over the maps with him and Strider and Gandalf and Frodo," Merry finished his message, then leaned closer and whispered, "I think they just wanted to get rid of Pippin." He and Riley glanced over at Pippin. He was sniffing the wall. 

Riley frowned. "Pippin, _what_ are you doing?"

"It smells funny," he exclaimed. 

Merry and Riley exchanged a look before backing away slowly. 

"So, what are we looking at today? Kenya? China?" she questioned upon entering the library. 

Legolas and Aragorn did not even look up, but at least Frodo and Gandalf acknowledged her presence. "Have you heard of Rauros Falls?" Legolas asked. 

Walking up behind him and peering over his shoulder, Riley said, "Nope."

"That is what we are studying."

Aragorn traced over a part of the map. "It is between Dol Guldur and Cair Andros. We may be forced to follow that road."

Riley knew that they were safe from that but nodded in understanding. "What other ways can we go?"

"We can go through Mirkwood and skirt down through the Rhovanion, or simply follow the Anduin River as far as Gondor then turn to the east. There are several options."

"So we're gonna decide on the road?"

Aragorn nodded. "We are making sure that we know all routes."

"So that you won't have to ask directions?"

Aragorn looked at her inquisitively. 

"What? It is a well-known fact that guys don't like to stop and ask directions. I can just imagine Legolas walking up to some tree and saying, 'Excuse me, but which way is Mordor?'." Riley giggled at the thought. 

"Oi, Leafolassie!" Pippin's voice floated in from the door and Riley ducked behind Legolas. "All right. Merry and I found Riley (she got kicked out of Elrond's office) but then a giant tree ate her and Merry! I was too late to help them."

Riley stuck her head out from behind Legolas. "Pippin, you were smelling the wall so we left! And his name is Legolas, as I told you before. And just so you know, the nickname 'Leaf' is mine." She paused. "And where did you come up with the giant tree eating us?"

Pippin opened his mouth to answer and stood there, looking like a fish for a minute. Eventually, he said, "I forgot."

Riley rolled her eyes and laughed. "Okay. So what other routes are there?" She leaned against Legolas and concentrated on the map as Legolas wrapped an arm around her waist. 

*                       *                       *

Oolore was the smartest horse Riley had ever met. All Riley had done was whisper to the horse that she wished to go for a ride and Oolore had pranced around the stable, pointing out the light saddle and bridle that she would need. Riley had had a bit of trouble figuring out how the saddle was supposed to be fastened but eventually got it, no thanks to an impatient Oolore. 

Now they were riding swiftly through the forest towards a special place that Riley felt she had to visit before leaving Rivendell. Riley, with her *ahem* limited riding experience, would have preferred they go slowly through the trees, but Oolore seemed to be having a ball dancing over the ground, twisting and winding swiftly and scaring Riley out of her wits. It seemed that the horse was the only thing on the planet with the ability to surpass Riley's ability to tease. Or the only thing willing to be so horribly informal. 

"Oolore, quit!" Riley tugged on the reins as Oolore started hopping back and forth between his back and forefeet. Riley's foot slipped out of the stirrup as she struggled to get some control over the horse, and she leaned down to held shove her foot back in. Apparently it was not the best idea. As soon as she sat back up and branch whacked her in the head and she fell off Oolore. 

Oolore snorted and stomped in amusement, leaning his head down to nudge Riley with his nose. "Up, up!" he seemed to say with a horsy-chuckle. 

Riley whimpered and pouted pathetically until Oolore started trying to roll her over. She waved him off. "No," she groaned wearily. "No up. Need sleepy!" 

Oolore snorted in her face and slowly lowered himself to the ground next to her, nudging her with his nose again. Riley cracked an eye open and squinted at the horse. "Up?" she asked. Oolore grunted. Somehow Riley managed to drag herself onto the horse and off they went again. Oolore seemed to be having the time of his life moving towards low branches and then changing directions at the last second. Stupid Elvish horses. 

She could feel the mist in the air before they even exited the forest. She breathed in deeply, attempting to soak in everything and imprint it on her memory. Yup, this was definitely one of her favorite places she had ever been to. The waterfall. Oolore stepped out of the forest quietly, seeming to sense the moment. 

Riley's eyes fell on the familiar sight of the waterfall. With the exception of the changing colors and new bushes scattered everywhere, it looked exactly the same as it had three… ten years ago. 

"You and I seem to always meet each other here."

Riley grinned at the voice. She looked over her shoulder and scanned the trees until she found Legolas sitting high up in a tree to her right. 

"Hey, Leaf," she said. 

Legolas motioned towards her and began climbing down the tree. "You are bleeding."

Riley frowned. How could she be bleeding? She moved to rub her forehead and winced as she found a cut near her hairline. Oh, _that_ bleeding. That made sense. Riley gingerly traced around the cut. "Branches are officially evil," she declared, looking down at Legolas, who had reached the ground and was reaching up for her. 

Legolas chuckled. "Did a branch attack you?"

Riley pulled a face at him. "Oolore ran into a tree." Oolore snorted indignantly. "What?" Riley exclaimed. She slipped off Oolore into Legolas's arms. 

Legolas's fingers brushed over her forehead, examining the cut. "Do you have any cloth with you?"

Riley nearly had to pry her eyes away from her friend's face with a crowbar to turn back to the lunch pack she had strapped to her saddle. She reached inside and pulled out a napkin and handed it to Legolas. "Now what?"

Legolas smiled and led her to the water by the hand. He had her sit down in the grass and he began dabbing at the wound after wetting the napkin. "Perhaps you should stay away from trees. They do not seem to favor you."

Riley stuck her tongue out at him, but had to agree. "Yeah. I tend to fall down a lot whenever I get near them. Ow." 

Apparently Legolas had only been on a walk and had planned on returning for lunch (or dinner, however you decided to look at it), but Riley convinced him to stay with her and shared what little food she had with her. 

That day was a reminder of how simple life could be. It was quiet and relaxed, a nice little scene in the relationship between the Elvin prince and the Elfin Child. 

*                       *                       *

When nervous, hold someone's hand. That was Riley's new philosophy. Everyone looked so serious that it made her want to fidget, so she had grabbed Legolas's hand and hadn't let go. Elrond was making a speech about something, but she wasn't listening. Who cared about his little, "Do well, destroy the Ring, yada yada yada, blah blah blah." It was a nice speech and all, but she just wanted to _go_. She had woken up at three o'clock in the morning and was on some kind of major sugar high. And _that_ was weird because she had eaten some bread and an apple! 

Riley's leg jiggled for an unknown reason and she focused on something else to keep her entire body from joining her leg. She had said good-bye to Oolore last night… she had explained to the horse that as all but one Elf left Rivendell (or that's what she thought), Oolore would probably go with them to the Grey Havens. Oolore had stomped and tossed his head, then nudged her with his nose. Riley realized how much she loved having a horse, especially one with a personality. 

She had spent yesterday evening with Arwen, having a good long talk about hard decisions. Riley tried her best to give her friend good advice, hoping to ease the difficulty of her future decision about how she wanted to spend eternity, but couldn't help feeling that she couldn't quite reach her. 

There was a tug on her hand and Riley found herself walking towards Arwen with Legolas. The Elves exchanged the traditional affectionate good-bye that Riley had always found intriguing in which they touched the area over their hearts and then cupped each other's cheeks for a brief moment. Riley gave Arwen a tight hug and that was it. She and Legolas went back to the Fellowship, and they turned towards the gate. 

Riley took a deep breath and let go of Legolas's hand, following the Fellowship as they walked single-file out of Rivendell. _Well_, she thought, _here we go!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They left Rivendell! WOOHOO!!! 

And I passed 400 reviews! Wow, you guys… that's a lot of reviews! Congrats to Risa for being the one to bring us up to that mark (400th reviewer!!)

Hm… wonder how long it'll take to reach 1000… *rubs her chin*

Oh, btw… I just posted a new short story. It's my first songfic! It's quite good, if I do say so myself (and I do). So, while you're waiting for an update on this story, why not go read that one?


	23. Stupid Saruman

**Chapter Fifteen – Stupid Saruman **

Besides the whole walking (for forever)-to-our-doom theme, Riley found getting out into the world to be an absolute blast. Not only was she seeing brand-new things, but this was the stuff that was never mentioned in the books or shown in the movies. Things like discussing whether to go around or cut their way through a thicket and Pippin running into things were everyday occurrences. After the first day, Riley was sore, but it wore off quickly as her body adjusted to walking miles a day. 

Most of the day, Riley was quiet, either sinking into her own thoughts and amusing herself, or listening to the others talk or banter. She was naturally talented at entertaining herself for long periods of time. She had been homeschooled when she was young and the quietness came with the territory. Her mother had taught her to be silent and polite: in all accounts, the old "no speaking unless you're spoken to" deal. But from that sprang an unusual amount of observational skill. Sometimes it came in handy, like being able to sense other people's changing moods and interests. And other times it was just plain stupid. "Huh. I have a freckle on my finger." 

Riley had taken to rotating walking locations every day. The first day she spent with Legolas, a decision made for some unknown reason. The second day had been spent with Frodo and Sam, but Riley soon found that she missed Boromir's company too much to stay away for long. They were very alike, she and Boromir. Both were fiercely loyal and desperate to do the right thing, though that sometimes proved harder than they thought it would. 

Per the norm, she soon lost track of time, not even noticing that her twentieth birthday had come and gone until about a week afterwards. The days were so monotonous that a change of scenery was a reason to celebrate… at least in Riley's mind. She would skip around the group, gathering flowers and leaves and handfuls of mud (only after she had discovered that it was literally impossible to stay clean for more than five minutes in the wilderness) to make fake cakes. Every once in a while, she would get up the courage to try decorating Gimli with flowers, but that wasn't all that often, since the first time she had tried it she'd nearly died from having an ax "accidentally" swung at her head. Gimli was fun to pick on. 

A range of snow-covered mountains soon came into view and grew steadily bigger as they moved. She was at a loss for what they were called; to her it was just a bunch of mountains that she was most likely going to have to climb. That is, they had no name to her for a few days. Finally, one day while they were trudging slowly along, she slapped a hand to her forehead and yelled, "Doh!" Big snow-covered mountains… that she would probably have to climb. "It's Caradhras, you idiot!" she muttered. She looked up to find most of the Fellowship giving her strange looks. "What?" she exclaimed. 

While she wasn't quite sure why they were going up and over giant hills instead of weaving in-between them, Riley didn't complain. She'd learned her lesson about changing the story, though there hadn't been any repercussions yet. So she just kept following the others as they went up and down, up and down. 

It hardly seemed like they'd been away from Rivendell for very long when suddenly Riley found herself on the top of a particularly important giant hill. Gandalf stopped and announced that they were done walking for the day. Riley let her pack fall onto a rock and she slumped beside it with a groan. 

"I hate walking!" she declared to no one in particular. 

Gimli grunted, glaring at her. "How many times have we heard _that_ on our journey?"

"Shut up, Shorty!" 

Merry and Pippin suddenly popped up behind Riley and Merry exclaimed, "We Hobbits resent that!"

Riley shrieked and fell off the rock. Gimli broke out into a full-out laugh and Merry and Pippin ran off giggling mischievously. 

"Aw, shut up, ya hairy little man," Riley grumbled, climbing back onto her rock and pretending to be very interested in digging through her pack. Gimli kept laughing and Riley eventually gave up trying to ignore him and lugged her pack over to where Aragorn, Boromir, and Legolas were resting. Without explaining her comment, she told Legolas, "I'm with you," and sat down next to him, leaning heavily on his shoulder. 

"Riley," Boromir said, "who are your friends in your world?"

Riley looked up and squinted at him. "What?"

Boromir shrugged. "It was quiet and we needed conversation. That was the first question that came to mind."

"Oh." Riley sat up straighter. "Well, there's Shawn Brown. She's been my friend since I was twelve. There are other friendly acquaintances, but my only other real friend is Jeremy." She took a sip from her water flask.

"Is he your husband, then?" Aragorn asked. 

Riley choked. "Heck no!" she exclaimed, wiping water from her chin. "I don't have a husband."

Legolas looked surprised. "You are not married?"

"You mean I've spent the past few months with you and you didn't know I'm not married? No!" Riley held up her left hand and tapped her ring finger. "If I were married, I'd have a ring." The men looked puzzled, and Legolas blinked quizzically at her, so she elaborated. "The custom in my world is for men to give their love a ring of some significance when he asks her to marry him. When they're married, they exchange simple gold bands. The woman's engagement ring is usually melded together with the wedding band. So, as you can see," she held up her hand again for inspection, "I have no ring and, therefore, am not married."

That seemed to satisfy their curiosity as to the ring, but unfortunately, they did not seem to understand _why_ she was not married. "Why ever not?" Legolas exclaimed. He seemed very offended that no one had whisked his friend off her feet and married her the day he met her. 

Riley laughed. "I'm only… holy cow, I'm twenty years old! I don't need to be married yet. For the most part I consider myself too young! Heck, Arwen is how-many-years-old and, Aragorn, you and her and just getting to the soon-to-be-married part. Course, she's an Elf, but still."

They laughed and Riley watched out of the corner of her eye as Merry and Pippin ran by, waving branches around wildly. "No one has asked you to marry them?" Boromir asked. 

Riley thought of the thousands of proposals she'd gotten in her fan mail and decided that they didn't particularly need to know that. She grinned and answered, "No comment." Merry and Pippin ran by again. "Maybe you should try and teach _them_ how to fight." 

Merry and Pippin ducked behind a rock and swung branches at Sam as he walked by, knocking him over. They ran off snickering madly. Riley turned back to "the men" and gave them a meaningful look. Shaking their heads, Aragorn and Boromir stood and picked the two troublesome Hobbits up and pulled them off to give them an outlet for their energy. 

Riley, as tired as she was, found that she had too much energy herself to sit down. She hopped around on rocks and gazed up at the great blue sky, suddenly very happy indeed to be alive. 

"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they are not," Gimli was grumbling (Riley doubted that he ever did anything but grumble), "I'd say we were taking the long way round. Gandalf! We could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome." Riley rolled her eyes.

"No, Gimli. I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice," Gandalf said calmly. 

"Darn straight," Riley chimed in softly. She squinted at the sky, noticing what looked like a dark cloud coming towards them. Legolas leapt onto the rock next to her, his eyes immediately spotting the "cloud". 

In the background, Riley heard a yelp from Pippin and Boromir's apology. A few seconds after a loud, "For the Shire!", there was a thump and a grunt from Aragorn. Riley turned for a moment to glance back at her friends and grin, and then turned her attention back to the evil birds. What were they called? Something like "crabs from Dutchland", but obviously _that_ was wrong. 

"What is that?" Sam asked. 

"Nothing. It's just a wisp of cloud," Gimli grumbled characteristically. 

Riley could clearly picture Boromir's face as he looked up at the "wisp of cloud", as Gimli put it. "It's moving fast. And against the wind."

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas called suddenly, causing Riley to start in surprise. Before she knew it, Legolas had dragged her down off the rock and nearly tackled her. Riley shrank back against Legolas and held her breath, her heart stopping at the thought that the evil dude with the long hair and icky nails was, at the moment, _winning_. Part of her wanted to jump up and wave her arms and yell, "Here we are!" That, however, probably wouldn't have gone over very well with her friends. 

The birds had soon passed over, and they were able to climb out of hiding. 

"Spies of Saruman," Gandalf announced. "The passage south is being watched." He turned to the large, snow-covered mountains. "We must take the pass of Caradhras." 

Riley was surprised to hear several dejected sighs. She had forgotten that they weren't planning on going over Caradhras in the first place. "Stupid Saruman," she muttered. Now they _had_ to go through the snow. "Stupid Saruman," Riley yelled, kicking a rock. A sharp pain shot up her leg and she fell over, clutching her foot and whimpering. She _really_ did not want to walk half-way through a range of mountains, only to have their leader change his mind and lead them back _down_ the mountains. "Stupid Saruman," she sniffed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Short, I know. Hope you like it, though! And, know what? The more you review, the faster I update. It's true, honest!


	24. The Road Goes Ever On and On and On an...

**A/N:** This chapter is dedicated to **Sulitari-Draugwen**, because I apparently owe you a new keyboard. I'm glad you found my last chapter so amusing!

Thanks to all my reviewers; it means _so_ much to know how much support I have for this story. 

Chapter Sixteen – The Road Goes Ever On and On… and On and On… 

Riley was pretty sure that this was the coldest she had ever been. And she was not even past her ankles in snow yet! Her skin had long ago gone numb… as had her ears and nose and lips and fingers and toes and shoulders and she was not really sure how her eyes could have gone numb but they had. Yeah, she was pretty cold.

Merry and Pippin were romping around in the snow as if they had never seen the stuff before. They didn't look cold at all, except for their pink noses and cheeks. Riley wondered if Pippin had any idea how much snow he'd see before they even reached Lorien.

It was one of the days that Riley sank into her thoughts as they walked. She couldn't help thinking back to that day on the hill when Boromir had asked if she was married. Why the heck had he asked that? And ever since that day, things had shifted. Boromir had pulled away any physical contact he and Riley had had, which was just plain confusing. If anything, wouldn't her lack of attachment allowed him to come closer? Every time she tried to puzzle it out, she got frustrated and ended up wanting very much to smack Boromir over the head. 

_Legolas_ wasn't being confusing at all. Every time she walked with him, he allowed her to hold his hand, and listened patiently to her chatter. _Boromir_ was being far too cold for her to even _try_ holding his hand. Of course, he didn't know that it was natural for her to hold _anyone's_ hand. It was one of the things that made people warm up to her: the way she was so open with her emotions, or the proper emotions, anyway. No one saw anything they didn't like in her; it was just the way she operated. 

Riley automatically ducked as a snowball flew over her head. What was Boromir's problem? He was reacting to everything all wrong! He kept looking distracted or angry. What was going on?

The next day they reached the beginning of the deep snow drifts. Riley was walking with Legolas in the front of the line when there was a loud shriek and an unhappy grunt behind them. Riley turned around to find Pippin and Gimli nearly buried in deep snow. Riley looked from them to her and Legolas's feet. What was the difference? Riley and Legolas were standing on top of the snow instead of in it, that's what! Riley yelped in surprise and lost her balance, tumbling down into the snow, getting just as covered in it as Gimli and Pippin were. 

She sat up, coughing and shivering. "Ah!" she yelled. "Snow down my shirt, snow down my shirt! Ah!" She sprang up and ran off across the snow, swatting at the back of her neck. She didn't notice how far away from the group she'd gotten until someone literally tackled her. As if she hadn't already had enough snow _inside_ her clothes, it was now packed solidly on the _outside_ of her clothes as well. 

Whoever had tackled her was now hauling her to her feet and brushing the mini-chunks of ice from her face and out of her hair. As soon as the snow covering her eyes was gone, Riley looked up to find that it had been Legolas that caused her to tumble into the snow. "Why the heck'd you push me, Leaf?" she asked, teeth chattering. 

Legolas gently brushed snow off her cheeks and neck, smiling a bit. "Would you have stopped running if I had not?" he asked. Riley shrugged, but grinned mischievously. Legolas chuckled and wiped a last piece of snow from her forehead. "I did not think so."

Riley shivered, though she didn't feel quite so cold anymore. Legolas wrapped an arm around her shoulders and started walking her in the direction of the Fellowship. Riley leaned against her friend and smiled. "So the Elfin Child can walk on snow, huh?"

That wasn't exactly true. She could walk on snow, yes, but only when her balance was perfect. Shifting her stance even in the slightest resulted in an unwanted fall into the snow. The fact that they were moving steadily uphill sort of threw her balance out of whack and after a couple of hours, Riley had gotten used to being wet and half frozen.

The day that Boromir began to show signs of his struggle against the Ring was completely clear and absolutely gorgeous. Riley was staring up at the dark blue sky ahead of them, trying to ignore the fact that she felt as if Boromir, who was walking just behind her, had forgotten that she had ever been his friend. She was just beginning an earnest struggle against the feeling of abandonment when Frodo went tumbling past her down the hill – Hobbits falling over was a normal thing on their trek, but Riley turned around to see if he was all right anyways.

And suddenly she remembered just why they were going up and over mountains. A sparkle of gold next to Boromir's had caught her eye, and apparently Boromir's. He knelt and picked it up by the chain it was on, staring at it intently. All of a sudden Riley found herself standing beside him, unable to take her eyes off the little golden circle. 

Boromir's voice seemed to come from far away, echoing in her ears. "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing… such a little thing."

Out of the corner of her eye, Riley saw Boromir's free hand rising towards the Ring, and a streak of fear stabbed through her. 

"Boromir!" Aragorn's voice sliced through the fog that had settled over Riley's mind and she snapped her head towards him. She shrank behind Boromir at Aragorn's threatening look. "Give the Ring to Frodo."

Boromir began moving obediently before Riley guessed he really began to comprehend what was going on. He reluctantly held out the Ring. "As you wish," he said. Riley caught the tiny edge of mockery in his voice. Frodo snatched the Ring and held it close to his chest. "I care not." In an attempt to redeem himself, Boromir smiled and ruffled Frodo's hair affectionately. 

Riley studied the snow at her feet as Boromir passed her, not really caring to know what was in the glance he shot at her. She gave Frodo and Aragorn an apologetic smile then turned around and trudged back up the hill. 

Soon after they made it over the ridge and started along a ledge on the side of a ravine, the weather turned uglier than an Olympian-torch-carrying Uruk-hai's butt. Riley laughed when she thought that one up. But she had decided that she was _now_ the coldest she'd ever been. Not only was she now nearly shoulder-deep in snow, but it was windy and the snow was coming _down_ at her as well. The freezing air seemed like it was scraping every inch of skin it touched, so she tried her best to cover as much skin as she could. She had long ago wrapped fabric around her hands and put her hood up, but the wind seemed determined to get rid of anything she did to keep it away. And so she not only alternated between walking behind the men and walking Legolas, but also between being numb with cold and shivering uncontrollably. 

Legolas was at the front of the column, sighting the best path for the rest of them, and Gandalf was right behind him, pushing his way through the snow and making it easier for the others behind him. Aragorn and Boromir were each carrying two Hobbits, and Gimli was leading Bill the pony. 

At the moment, Riley was walking with Legolas. When she had joined him, he'd immediately made her walk closer to the wall, at least a little shielded from the wind by his body. She still had to squint and shook violently, but it was the thought that counted. 

Legolas suddenly strode dangerously close to the edge of the ledge and gazed out into the sky. Riley listened carefully and vaguely heard a low rumbling, but it didn't sound like much. "There is a fell voice on the air," Legolas said quietly, but Riley could hear him. 

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf called, just as a loud crack split the air from above them. 

Legolas stepped back, forcing Riley closer to the wall, as huge boulders fell from the top of the cliff, just missing crushing the Fellowship in their path. 

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn shouted. "Gandalf, we must turn back!"

Gandalf climbed up on top of the snow, shaking his head angrily. "No!" He began chanting loudly, making a tendril of power to curl around the Fellowship and float away for the mountain to hear. "Losto Caradhras, sedro, hodo, nuitho i'ruith."

Riley slipped down into the snow to get out of the wind. It was too cold to stay out in the wind for that long. She sat down and huddled against the side of the path, trying to keep any of her body heat that she could inside her clothes. Okay, so maybe getting down near the bottom of the snow wasn't such a good idea… she'd forgotten that they were about to get covered with three feet of snow. 

Gandalf yelled in frustration as a chunk of snow fell towards them. Riley shrieked and covered her head, feeling the weight of a ton of cold stuff bury her. Right away it became hard to breathe and hard to move. Riley wriggled and struggled to get up. The longer she was under the snow the more desperate she became to get out. She pushed at the snow on top of her, but it was too heavy. 

Suddenly a hand pierced through the snow and gripped her arm, tugging at her and pulling her out of the snow. Riley surfaced sputtering and coughing, wincing as the snow on her face began to burn. But a familiar hand wiped the snow gently away and she opened her eyes and smiled pathetically at Legolas. "Not very good with snow, am I?" Legolas back and her and finished brushing snow off her head while she returned the favor, picking chunks of snow out of the long blonde hair. 

"We cannot stay here; this will be the death of the Hobbits!" Boromir shouted over the wind. Riley turned and looked at the Hobbits, who all seemed very… _blue_. "We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan, or take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard," Aragorn argued. 

"We cannot pass over a mountain," Gimli agreed. Riley bit her lip to keep from laughing at the snow-bearded Dwarf. Biting her lip wasn't a good idea either, because she soon tasted salty, metallic-tasting blood. "Let us go under it! Let us go through the mines of Moria."

There was a moment of quiet when everyone turned to Gandalf to ascertain his decision. He was studying Frodo. "Let the Ring-bearer decide. Frodo?"

Riley really couldn't blame the Hobbit. If she were that little and half frozen, she'd make the same decision. Heck, Moria sounded better than snow at the moment anyway. She shuffled closer to Legolas, sinking into his embrace and shivering violently. It was too cold to stay on the mountain, and apparently Caradhras had sided with Saruman. Stupid Saruman. 

"We will go through the mines," Frodo announced after a moment of looking petrified that the decision had been left up to him. Riley's heart clenched as she realized how guilty Frodo was going to feel when Gandalf… fell. After all, it had been his decision that brought them to the mines. Poor Frodo. 

"So be it," Gandalf said quietly, and they turned around to head back _down_ the mountain. On their way back down, Riley decided that if she lived through this, she was never going anywhere cold again. But for the moment she concentrated on following her friends down the road that just seemed to go on and on and on and on….

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Wasn't all that Legolas and Riley stuff cute? I didn't even mean to stick that kind of stuff in there yet, but that's the way it happened. Aren't you proud of me? It's only taken me one week to update! Yey, go me! *spins around in circles* Wee. . . .

Now, you guys... I only got _15_ reviews after I updated with my last chapter. That was pathetic! Come on, you can do better. I promise that Riley and Boromir will be friends again if I get lots and lots of reviews… but otherwise I might have to keep Boromir distant. Sorry. It's up to you. Now, go do my bidding! 

*snicker* Yeah right. Have fun in fandom and try not to get lost… it can get pretty scary in there!

BTW, I'm going to Hawaii three weeks from tomorrow and will be gone for eleven days. I'll try to update before I leave, but there are no promises, sorry. Besides, I'm getting too close to Two Towers. I need the extended edition DVD before I can really get into that part of the story, as I don't want to miss anything important!


	25. And I Will Follow if I Can

**A/N**: Okay, last update before Hawaii… woohoo! I'm gonna be _tan_ instead of this glow-in-the-dark thing that I've got going! 

Chapter Seventeen – And I will Follow if I Can 

Going downhill was _so_ much more fun than struggling up slope after snowy slope for hours on end. Instead of having to force her breathes to stay deep and even as she struggled through huge patches of snow, Riley slipped and slid and tumbled and ran at break-neck speed down the slopes. She had to stop and wait for most of the Fellowship to catch up, but she always had company. Legolas usually followed her at a safe distance, watching with a fond expression as she amused herself with romping in the snow. Riley was having the time of her life. 

She was forgetting the danger. It was easy to forget things that seemed far away, like a war that wasn't going on in your backyard. She knew it was there, of course, but it was hard to imagine that soon she would be surrounded by goblins… icky goblins who wanted to eat her… and then chased across a teeny tiny bridge by a fiery demon. Yeah, she had a little trouble with that mental image. If she ever thought about it, she just figured that she needn't worry: they would get there soon enough and she'd have to worry about it plenty then. For the time being, she was focused on wonderful glorious snow. It was so much easier to enjoy something when it wasn't trying to kill you.

At some point, Riley and Legolas ran far ahead of the rest of the Fellowship, calling behind them that they were off the find the sun….

***

"Riley…."

"Leaf, come on. Be a kid for once! Now hush." Riley peeked through a small hole in the icy wall of her fortress. She could just make out Aragorn coming round the corner… the rest of the Fellowship would take a couple of minutes. She grinned in anticipation. The Hobbits were finally able to walk for themselves, and Merry and Pippin had immediately gone back to frolicking in the snow. It was fun to watch.

Her hands were half-frozen, but that was no change. If she was going to be frozen, she might as well have fun with it. That was why, when the Fellowship rounded the corner, they found themselves being pelted with snowballs from an invisible source. Boromir was most likely the first to notice the attack, since the snowball that started it all smacked him so hard on the forehead that he fell backwards. Riley and Legolas let loose a flurry of snowballs that flew so quickly that no one had time to react before the snow exploded over them. Merry and Pippin gave wild shrieks and jumped away from the path, landing spread-eagle in the deep snow beside them. 

By the time they had run out of snowballs, Riley was laughing so hard her throat was going raw. She and Legolas popped up from behind their fortress. Riley threw her hands in the air, declaring loudly, "I win!" That was _before_ a giant, space-shuttle-size snowball (according to her when she was later retelling the story) decided to land on her head. Stunned, Riley wobbled, flailing her arms before gravity finally won and she fell over. As she lay on the ground, she was vaguely aware of quite a few people laughing uproariously, but she wasn't really thinking about that. _Huh. The sky sure is pretty…._ Grimacing in annoyance as the laughter invaded her thoughts, she snapped, "Laugh it up, why don't you?" This only seemed to make them laugh harder. 

She discreetly balled a small lump of snow under her hand and glared at Legolas, who had unwisely turned his back to her. *Poof!* went the snow when it hit his shoulder. Within a few seconds, nearly the entire Fellowship had engaged in an all-out war, snow flying everywhere. After a few snowballs in the face, Riley decided that to _hide_ would be the best thing. Looking around, she noticed that the rest of the battlers were leaving Gandalf alone. Aha. She ran and dived behind him in the snow. 

"Ha!" she shouted as she sprang to her feet and poked her head out from behind the Wizard. "You can't hit _Gandalf_; it's not allowed! Mwahaha!" She promptly broke into a coughing fit. When she peeked back out again she realized she might as well have dared Aragorn to dump a bucket of snow on the Wizard. He was grinning, wadding up a large snowball. Riley squeaked and hid behind Gandalf. Nothing happened. 

Riley peeked back out to see Gandalf holding his glowing staff in front of him. She glanced up at his face to find him smiling triumphantly. She grinned. "Told ya so!" Merry and Pippin both tossed snowballs as hard as they could at Gandalf, but the snowballs burst apart long before they reached anyone. Riley buried her face in the back of Gandalf's robes, stifling her giggles. The others joined in her laughter… but when she peered around Gandalf again, Boromir was pointedly ignoring the gayety. His lips were pressed in a thin line and he was gazing out towards the sun grimly. With a last hiccough, Riley's laughter died out completely, leaving her feeling just as depressed as she had been on the way up the mountain. She tugged on the back of Gandalf's robes. "Can we go now?" she asked quietly. 

He studied her face and she smiled a bit for his benefit, but the smile never reached her eyes. He nodded and she headed off in front of everyone, once more trudging downhill over a ton of snow. Joy.

***

It was official. Riley was sick of walking. Stop the press! They were finally about the enter Moria, and her feet hurt… like a monkey. What, a monkey can't hurt? 

Anyways… they had finally reached Moria. Well, the walls of Moria. They had to climb (again) and weave in between boulders, but there they were, finally. They walked through a large chink in the cliff and found themselves in a dank, dark, humid crevice. Riley was just grateful that it wasn't cold. Well… it was chilly. But not cold!

Boromir seemed to have developed some sort of a grudge against Legolas, and Legolas didn't seem too pleased with Boromir either, so by the time they reached the Gate, Riley had taken to walking with a neutral party: Gandalf. Riley was not positive, but from the sideways, knowing glances that the Wizard had given her, she suspected that Gandalf knew more about what was going on with Boromir than she did. And it was irritating that he wasn't telling her. Because she told him _everything_. Except for when she dropped her berry wine on his hat. She'd keep that secret to the grave.

Riley slumped to the ground when Gandalf paused, studying the wall. He reached up and brushed away some dust to reveal a soft groove. "Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." Riley had always wondered how the clouds just magically cleared away on que. "It reads, 'The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, Friend, and enter.'" 

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked. Riley nearly snorted. Gandalf, the almighty Wizard, read the line wrong. 

"Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open," Gandalf explained form his little world-of-the-misinformed. He pressed the end of his staff to the middle of the door and spoke something in a deep, strong voice. 

Nothing happened. 

Riley leaned back against the wall and sighed. She should've brought a pillow to sit on. A pillow for her head would have been nice too. And for her feet. And her back. And her hands. And… everything else. She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

"Riley?"

Riley's lips twitched, but for the most part she maintained her calm expression. "Funny, that little noise sounded like my ex-friend. But he doesn't talk to me anymore, so it couldn't be."

The person shifted beside her uncomfortably. "Riley…."

Riley opened her eyes and stood up looking straight ahead. "Boromir, if you're only going to sit there saying my name, I will not talk to you. I haven't done anything to deserve this; you've been treating me like dirt. Either apologize or leave me alone." She wanted to cry. She had never, not once in her life, given someone an ultimatum. She had never lost patience when someone was nervous about saying something either. But it was true that she hadn't done anything to deserve Boromir's attitude. 

Boromir took her hand and tugged on it lightly. "Riley… I should not have treated you the way I did." A tear rolled down Riley's cheek. _Finally_ he apologized! Now he just had to explain why he'd been such prat and she'd forgive him. Boromir pulled her down so that she was sitting half-facing him. "You are not married," he said hesitantly. 

Riley groaned. "Did we not cover this before? I could've sworn that you knew that a week ago."

Boromir fiddled with her hand. "When I thought that you were married… it was…" Riley raised an eyebrow at him, "Easy to stay away from you."

Riley's eyes widened in surprise. "Am I really that much of a Mary Sue?" she shrieked. Her head fell backwards pathetically and she groaned. "I swear to Bob… gee whiz!"

"A Mary Sue?" Boromir asked, confused.

Riley smacked her forehead. "A Mary Sue is perfect. She's beautiful and talented and she gets sucked into stories and all the male characters fall in love with her. How can I be a Mary Sue? I mean, I didn't ask for people to love me! Holy _crud_!"

Boromir laughed and ruffled her hair. "Well then I will double my efforts to stay away from you."

Riley pouted. "You mean you're gonna be mean to me again?"

Boromir pulled her closer and gave her a quick hug. "No. But I am only ever going to remain your friend."

Riley gave him an incredulous look that he couldn't see. _That was all she ever wanted_. "Okay."

*Thunk* Riley looked up to find Gandalf sitting down with a frustrated sigh. He said something in Elvish that Riley guessed was _probably_ a swear word. She grinned. "You know it, don't you, Frodo?" she called. Frodo shifted his gaze from the door to Riley. "It's a riddle. Speak 'friend' and enter," she said, grinning. 

Frodo smiled back. "What's the Elvish word for friend?" he asked no one in particular. 

Riley smirked. She knew that one. "Mellon."

With a rusty cracking sound, the doors began to open. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And that's all I've got for you this time. Sorry, but I've stayed up much later than I intended, and tomorrow is too busy for me to have time to think. I'll see you after I get back! 

I'm kind of hoping for quite I few reviews by the time I get back… think we can reach 500? Let's go for it! Review!


	26. Fried Squid

**A/N: **Yo! *snort* Or not… Well, here it is, the new chapter. And I have something to explain so you all aren't out there waiting for an update for weeks on end and wondering what's going on….

I tried counting chapters left in Fellowship, and it turns out that if I wanted semi-equal spacing between chapters, I'd have to wait about three weeks between updates. And then I realized that Two Towers won't have nearly as much to write about, so I tried to stick _that_ into the equation. Holy cow… I'm going to have to wait _forever_ between updates, so I'm trying to add more stuff that's not in the movies into my story. So, yeah. If it takes a while to update, I'm sorry… I'm just trying to drag things out. 

I'm particularly proud of this chapter, don't know why. 

And now, on we go!

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Chapter Eighteen – Fried Squid 

In the bustle of getting everyone inside, Riley somehow managed to get herself stuck near the back of the group with the Hobbits. Maybe it wasn't an accident… the big macho guys with their weapons of death were up front, prowling around. Well… Gimli was bragging like an idiot. The others were prowling.

But Riley figured it was a good thing she was with Frodo. That way, she could just slice up the monster or move Frodo away from the tentacle and let it get… Sam or Merry or someone. Not Pippin, though. He had to knock a bucket down a well and tell Treebeard to go south. Wait… Merry had to tell Pippin that the war would affect the Shire. And Sam had to keep Frodo from being eaten and speared and… yeah, Sam was important too! Well, she couldn't sacrifice _herself_, obviously, because she was a Mary Sue and the news of her death would cause random Elves she'd never met to die of broken hearts, and Men would commit suicide, and Dwarves would cut off their beards, and Hobbits would eat themselves to death, and dragons would stay in their caves of treasure for so long they'd suffocate, and light-allergic Orcs would wander out during the middle of the day and die, and trolls would die of stupidity, and the Giant Eyeball of Doom would burn out because he had no supporters, which overall wasn't bad except that it would end life on Middle-Earth as we know it, which was bound to happen anyways, so, in the end, her death would mean diddily squat, so the squid-monster-thing was better off getting Frodo. Okay, discussion over. 

Pippin was walking behind her and kept stepping on the backs of her feet, so Riley yanked him in front of her and told him to use his "giant hairy feet for good, not evil". Except that when she felt something like a _python_ slither past her foot, she wished she were riding piggyback on Aragorn, the Impossible-to-Kill. Heck, you throw the guy off a cliff and he comes riding back the next day tired, but no worse for the wear. Honestly, growing up with Elves must have given him a shield from proof-of-mortality syndrome! But back to the tentacle. 

"And they call it a mine. A mine!" Gimli was apparently highly amused, and Riley was apparently not… mostly because she'd never gotten the joke. 

"This is no mine; it's a tomb," Boromir said disgustedly. 

There was a lot of that swishy unsheathing-of-swords sound and a crackle when Legolas pulled an arrow out of a skeleton and studied its tip. "Goblins," he announced. 

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here," Boromir said authoritatively. 

The others were just about to agree when the tentacle latched around Frodo's ankle and jerked him off his feet. The Hobbits started yelling, and Sam and Riley both hacked at the tentacle before it could drag Frodo off. 

Riley gave a startled scream and dove towards the wall the monstrous octopus surfaced and flung its arms out to smack the dirty rotten Hobbits for trying to rescue its meal from it. She hit her chin on a protruding rock and almost immediately tasted blood. And, sure enough, flying through the air with the greatest of ease (*snort*), and unwillingly attached to a fish with one thousand two hundred eighty-three legs was Frodo.

Courageously (and stupidly), Riley ran up to the leg that was fastened around Frodo, raised her sword (which was Elvish and pretty and smaller than a normal sword), and felt something like a giant arm wrap around her middle. She shrieked as she flew into the air, understandably less than thrilled that she was being used as either an hors d'oeuvres or an entrée. 

The monster jerked her around so much that it was hard to focus on anything, especially with water from the lake below splashing in her face, but she caught glimpses of Legolas, Boromir, and Aragorn battling with the giant millipus, and Frodo with a look on his face that mirrored the terror she felt. They were both screaming their heads off, since neither of them had ever been picked up by a huge sea creature before. 

Riley decided within a split second that the tentacle wrapped around her waist was a much more comforting feeling than being let go. For a tiny little instant in time, she felt the wonderful weightlessness of flying… then a tentacle smacked her in the back, slowing her descent enough that she didn't die when she landed in the shallow water. She received several cuts and bruises from hitting the bottom, and instinctively gasped at the pain, which might have helped… had she not been underwater. She surfaced coughing and sputtering, water stinging her eyes. Before she had a chance to recover and wipe the water out of her eyes, someone gripped her arm painfully and hauled her to her feet, dragging her out of the lake. She managed to blink her eyes open without much trouble in time to see Boromir running towards her with Frodo in his arms. They passed Legolas and then everyone was racing inside. 

Rocks began to fall as the creature reached for them. One tentacle nearly touched Riley, but she beat it to the punch when she slapped it away angrily. The entire entrance soon crumbled, and Aragorn, who had been pulling her along, whipped her around and shielded her from as much of the debris as he could. Even so, Riley still got a bunch of dust in her face, which just made mud since her body was _wet_ from the _water_. When the rocks quite falling, Riley jumped out from behind Aragorn. 

"Oh yeah?" she yelled vehemently. "**Well I _eat _squid at home!**" She stomped her feet and huffed (and puffed and… yeah). 

It was pitch black. Riley took a step back to turn around, but her foot landed on something that slipped and she fell over. She landed on something crunchy and started squealing in disgust, kicking and scrambling to get back up… which wasn't working. Someone grabbed her by the waist and tugged her to her feet and off of the crunchy thingy. Riley buried her face in the person's shirt, seeking safety. She immediately recognized Legolas's ever-clean smell and whimpered, which got exactly the reaction she wanted. Legolas wrapped his arms around her, creating a sense of security. Phew. 

The next time she chanced a peek away from Legolas's shirt, Gandalf had screwed a glowing stone into his staff, making everyone blink at the sudden bright light. "Ah…" Riley shielded her eyes. "Turn the glowing rock thingymabob _off_!" she hissed, not wanting the Wizard to become angry with her, since she knew that he knew that _she_ knew that she very well needed to keep her mouth shut for the next four days straight. Oh happy happy, joy joy! 

Gandalf gave her a look that she was becoming used to – the one that said he was amused but exasperated with her antics – and went on with the script. "We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world." And as if she hadn't already shut up enough for him, he continued, "Quietly now. It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed." Riley felt like pointing out that they had Peregrin Oh-Mighty-Mischief-Maker-Even-When-He-Doesn't-Mean-To Took with them, but bit her tongue instead. Not a happy alternative, but it was probably better than blurting out that Gandalf was gonna die and having the Fellowship sacrifice her to the Balrog. Yeah, biting her tongue sounded better….

As they all trooped along behind Gandalf into the mines, Riley felt a tug on her arm. She looked down to find Pippin looking up at her curiously. "Could we really eat that… that _thing_, Riley?" he asked. 

"Yup," she replied, babying a cut on her forehead. "You can fry squid, broil it, boil it, stew it, mash it, batter it, marinate it, bake it…."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Okay, okay… so it isn't very long, but like I told you before (remember? Waaaaaay up there!), I'm trying to stretch things out. I think this chapter is actually kind of long… taking into account that most of the words around grouped into large paragraphs instead of a lot of dialogue. 

Hawaii was soooooo cool! Well, warm, but that's not the point. I boogie boarded and went to a luau and visited Hana and both volcanoes (Kaleakala and I-something, I think) on Maui, and _parasailed_! I had a blast. _And_ I'm tan! HA!

Anywho… you guys really responded to the last chapter when I mentioned wanting to get up to 500 reviews. I think I got almost 40 for that one chapter! Let's see if we can keep it up this time around, shall we? Now off with you, don't get into trouble, aaaaaaand… **REVIEW**!


	27. SDS Sun Deprivation Syndrome

*gives everyone a deer-in-the-headlights look* Um… I'm sorry? There's this annoying little thing called life that sort of got in the way. That and pure laziness. And the fact that it took me a week to come up with a serious discussion for our favorite Leaf in the world and our dear Riley. 

But I promised Risa that' I'd update by August 2nd. I even signed contract! And I've done it. So, la.

Very sorry about the long wait. 

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Chapter Nineteen - SDS (Sun Deprivation Syndrome)

About two minutes into the mines, Riley discovered that it was not wise to simply follow the light from Gandalf's staff… she tripped. But then, it also was not very smart to look straight at the light and then look away… she ran into a wall. Needless to say, it took a little while to get used to walking in the dark.

It was kind of fun for the first day. Riley pointed out a streak of shining silver mineral in a wall to Merry and Pippin, and a lively game of "Distracted by a Shiny Object" ensued. Gandalf eventually took an interest in what the weed-high Hobbits were doing, and decided to turn the game into an educational experience. 

"Mithril," he explained, moving his light closer to the wall to examine the metallic streak. He nodded, and then stuck his staff out over the edge of a ravine that the Fellowship was trooping along next to, causing the light to reflect off numerous pockets of mithril, and creating a mirror effect. "Gold and silver were not the riches contained in Moria, but rather mithril." Riley felt like she should be taking notes. "Bilbo had a mithril shirt given to him by Thorin. I never told him, but its value is greater than the wealth of the Shire." Riley glanced back at Frodo and their eyes met; Frodo was fidgeting with a button on his shirt. (**A/N:** And I paused here for a time while I researched the War and how Aragorn eventually croaks and what happens to various people *cough*Legolas*cough* after the War. I've done that before, but this time I actually wrote everything down so I can have it to reference. Woohoo, go me!)

That, excepting Riley's conversations in her head, was about the extent of the fun, though. They had climbed down a mountain to get to the door of the mines. Then they had climbed up some stairs into the mines. Then they had followed more stairs _down_. And then up. Then down. Riley soon announced that Moria was a hypocrite. Pippin didn't understand. Riley and Frodo shared a secretive look.

On the second day, Riley went through sun-deprivation syndrome. She trudged along sulkily behind the others, singing softly, "Oh, Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun, please shine down on me!" She felt dark and dirty and sort of itchy but not as itchy as before because her shirt wasn't touching her skin so much anymore. Her pack felt more heavy than usual and her feet ached. At least she wasn't sore any longer. When they had first started out from… oh… _Hobbiton_, her entire body had hurt every evening. By now that pain was limited to her feet. 

The Hobbits didn't seem to be faring much better than she was. Sam was probably mourning Bill, so he had an excuse to look gloomy, but the other three should have been more… Hobbit-y. They should each have had a pick ax slung over their shoulders as they trooped along behind Gimli into the mines to get diamonds before going home to their cottage to find The Ultimate Mary-Sue sleeping in their beds. Yeah!

As it was, misery loves company, and Riley found herself surrounded by miserable mini-people. For a moment she felt like striking up a rousing version of, "Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go!" but before she could, Pippin had tugged on her sleeve and whispered, "Riley, how do you know if you love someone?"

Riley blinked and opened and closed her mouth several times before anything ever came out. "Uh. What kind of love are you talking about?" she murmured back. 

Pippin looked puzzled and looked to Merry for help. Merry and Pippin switched positions so that Merry was closer to Riley. "There are different kinds?" he hissed incredulously. 

Riley laughed softly. "I figure there are three. The first one is like family or even a complete stranger: you love them but you don't necessarily like them. The second is like a friend. And the third is that forever love. You know, the mushy stuff that makes you want to do crazy things and gives you a fuzzy feeling."

Pippin pushed his way up next to Riley again. "You mean like a caterpillar?" he asked excitedly. 

Riley pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle her giggles. She glanced up and smirked at Legolas, who was looking over his shoulder and grinning at her. Even Gimli seemed to be amused: his shoulders were shaking as if he were chuckling. Riley patted Pippin on the head. "Sort of, Pip. More like butterflies fluttering around in your stomach and something touching your heart. At least, I think. I've never loved anyone like that before." She almost felt like she was betraying her future-husband by saying that: she already loved him; she was just waiting for him to come along so that she could bestow all that love on him directly. But she wasn't worrying about that yet. She was only twenty years old. She had her whole life ahead of her. 

*                      *                      *

Riley wrinkled her nose as she munched on a small loaf of plain bread. She kind of missed margarine. And jelly. And peanut butter. And taquitos. But oh well. She was in _The Lord of the Rings_. She could take it. Even if the bread did taste like dirt. 

Suddenly, a skin of water appeared in front of her face. _Funny… that wasn't there before_. Turns out it was just Aragorn offering her something to drink. She smiled half-heartedly and accepted the old-fashioned water bottle. "Thanks."

Aragorn sat down next to her. "How are you faring?" 

Ah. Water tastes good. "Oh, I'm all right. My feet hurt, but I imagine that's a common malady among us these days."

"Aye, it is, even to us roughened Rangers."

"And what of future kings?" Riley asked slyly. 

Aragorn studied her for a moment before asking, "Are you implying something you know or simply playing with my mind?"

Riley shrugged noncommittally and took a bite out of her bread. "Either way you chose, I think Arwen will be happy with you."

Aragorn looked down at his hands and played with a loose string on his sleeve. "Riley, perhaps you did not speak with Arwen before you left…."

Riley waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, she's sailing to the Undying Lands with all that is left of her kin, I know."

Aragorn frowned. "You do not seem to be upset."

"Why should I be? Now, I'm not expert, and I can't remember exactly what happens in the future," she said, leaving out the part about forgetting small details and remembering big details, "but I highly doubt that our Undómiel would just up and leave you. Dear old Dad would have to have a pretty good argument to get her to leave. He'd have to scare the wits out of her about mortality." 

The two sat in silence for a few minutes before conversation was reawakened. Riley recalled one of the questions she'd always wanted to ask Aragorn. "Hey, Aragorn? Does it ever bother you that so many people rely on you?"

"I am not sure what you mean, my friend."

"Well, you'll see … eventually, that whenever someone is in trouble, they call on you for help. Don't you wish that they would stop focusing on you so much and start focusing on themselves?" 

Aragorn smiled at her. "Now you are mixing your questions. I believe that you are asking me for wisdom in connection with your life in your world. Am I right?"

The corners of her mouth curved upwards sheepishly, but before she could answer, Legolas had joined them. Riley smiled in welcome and turned back to Aragorn, ready to tell her secrets. 

"Two years after I left you, I became a professional singer." They gave her a puzzled look, so she elaborated. "I basically travel around the world singing in front of large groups of people. Do you remember the music that came off a flat disc? Well, my songs go on those, and they are sold to millions of people. Everyone has their eyes on me. They watch everything I do. They _judge_ everything I do. They think I'm perfect, and I am _so_ afraid to slip up. If I do something wrong, everyone will know it. They'll stop liking me…." Her voice trailed off. 

Legolas finally spoke. "Why is it so important to you that everyone like you?" he asked.

Riley blinked at him in surprise. "I… uh, I… I. I guess… it's just an inborn desire in humans to be accepted," she said slowly

Aragorn nodded. "That is true, Legolas." 

"But you are _not_ perfect, and you do not pretend to be, my friend," Legolas stated pointedly, and Riley detected an odd sort of irritation in his voice. 

"Yes. It is something that we have to learn slowly and work hard at. Being perfect is exhausting and will earn you acceptance from most, but being yourself is more rewarding, even if some others choose to shun you for it. In the end, if you act all your life, people will not remember you as you were, but rather as who you appeared to be. And I would rather be remembered as an individual, not a part of the scenery." At that moment, Riley somehow felt grateful to Aragorn for being human, for understanding and for defending her against Legolas's sudden temper. 

"She does not even try to realize that!" Legolas said angrily. 

_Hey_! Riley thought. 

"She is young yet, Legolas," Aragorn replied, impatience leaking into his voice. 

_Excuse me, I'm still here_….

"She is no child, Aragorn, and yet she acts like it! She hides behind an image and…."

"And she's sitting right here!" Riley interjected. Legolas and Aragorn seemed to finally realize that she was sitting in-between them, and glanced down at their hands. Riley stared at her friends. She didn't really feel much of anything about Aragorn's defense. He was always doing that for everyone; it wasn't anything spectacular. But she couldn't help feeling particularly wounded by Legolas's accusations. He'd always been so calm and gentle with her… but he'd just treated her as if she was a horse who was stubbornly refusing to be trained… like someone he didn't like. 

Riley blinked back tears, hoping to calm herself enough to bite Legolas's head off, but she didn't have any luck. Tears welled up in her eyes, hurt ringing in every fiber of her body. She knew she should have stayed, she knew she needed to talk it out right away. But instead she pushed off the rock and stumbled away. 

She couldn't see where she was going. She ran her hand along a wall and just kept going, tripping over rocks and running into boulders. Suddenly, she ran smack into somebody's chest, and that somebody wrapped their arms around her and held her still. With her face pressed against familiar fabric, it was hard _not_ to recognize who it was. Besides, Boromir was thicker-boned than any of the other tall beings in the Fellowship. 

Riley pushed her face into Boromir's shirt until she couldn't breathe. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, forcing the tears to stop coming. She had to go back soon, and she had to go back composed. 

Before she felt like going back, Riley found herself walking back into the tiny camp with Boromir by her side. She squeezed his hand briefly, and walked over and sat down next to Gimli. 

They glanced at each other, and Riley crossed her arms over her chest, giving Gimli a mock frown. "Sup?" she asked in a deep, surfer-dude voice. Gimli glared at her, and Riley managed a weak grin. She really needed to get to know this guy better. She had a feeling his dry humor was just what she needed. 

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I know I don't deserve any reviews… but please review anyways, cuz if you quit reviewing, I'll… um… quit writing. Ha!


	28. The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time

**A/N:** Happy anniversary to you! Happy anniversary to you! Happy anniversary, dear Riley! Happy anniversary to youuuuuu! 

Hee hee J I posted today especially because it had been exactly one year since I posted the first nine chapters (all at one time). I'm so happy. *wipes a tear away* Well, the anniversary made me happy, but also the fact that I _wrote my first battle scene_ (and very successfully, I might add)! The whole chapter took me 6 hours to write. Four of those were in one sitting. Phew!

Special thanks to **Princess Flame** for reviewing… *counts* _nine_ times in a row (wow!) and to **Nuquarniel**, who warned me about the invading spoons (thanks! *tiptoes around with her frying pan*). 

But extra special kudos to **Jennifer**, who submitted the 600th review! *showers Jennifer with confetti* The thing that tells y'all the number of reviews I have has always been a bit off… I have 604 and it's telling you I have 610. But no matter. Six hundred, WOW!

This chapter is super long just for the anniversary (my longest yet!), so enjoy… well, as much as you can… considering what I did. *crawls under a giant frying pan to hide*

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Chapter Twenty – The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time 

Legolas was being a butt. "Butt" as in annoying, jerk, git, not the thing that you sit on or kick. Riley had considered Haldir a jerk at first, and that was about the only ugly thought she'd ever had about Elves, but boy was she having them now! She had tried using other words to describe exactly what Legolas's current attitude was, but she had only come up with one thing. However extensive her vocabulary had become over the years, she at least had resorted to one uncreative and juvenile word. He was a butt!

So she'd gone over everything she could think of to find out what was wrong. At some point, she had come to that age-old "It's because he likes me" thing, at which point she had snorted and muttered, "Yeah, when Mordor freezes over." So unless Elves had girl problems she didn't know about, she was out of ideas. 

When Legolas's mood stuck the next day, Riley met ice with ice, and that affected everyone. For one thing, Boromir, although he hadn't heard a word of the conversation, seemed deeply offended that the Elf of the Fellowship had upset the Traveler. The Hobbits sensed the sour mood between the two, and tried their best to stay out of the way. Aragorn was watching them with concern, but Gandalf seemed strangely amused by the row. Gimli, on the other hand, had deemed himself correct about Legolas, and was bragging now, more than ever. 

Riley took to walking with the Dwarf simply because his boastful prattling went on and on and on and on and on…. It provided a distraction from the constant, "Why is he angry with me? What's wrong? What did I do?" and the most prominent question: "Is he right?"

After being pushed into the spotlight at a young age and so directly after such an emotionally-changing experience, she had almost reinvented herself. The reserve, the shyness that had been imbedded into her actions had to be put aside, but she quickly discovered from watching other stars fail that even the smallest mistake could change everything. Her career could be toast, which she really didn't mind, though she did love it. But she was mostly worried about people talking about her in that disrespectful, I-can't-believe-she-could-be-so-stupid way. That's where her childish antics had come into play. Her faults she had always carefully hidden, but there were some things that could still make her look like a fool. So she covered it up and made the faults people _did_ see endearing. And that's where Legolas's accusations came in. 

Because he _had_ been right, and Riley hated that more than she'd ever disliked anything in her life. She felt like screaming and crying and breaking glass ornaments and hurting Legolas for seeing what she had hidden from everyone so meticulously. 

So, though she walked with Gimli, she began to isolate herself. She was so angry that no one seemed likeable anymore. She knew in her mind that she _did_ like them… but she was so furious in her heart that she could not bring herself to reach out for comfort to those that were more than willing to help. 

And so the third day inside Moria passed with a stony, tense silence. That is, of course, after Gimli shut up.

*          *          *

_Let me get this straight_, Riley thought to herself as she sat grumpily on a rock away from the rest of the Fellowship. _It takes him an hour to figure out that he can just _smell_ his way out? _

Yes, Gandalf had gotten lost and the rest of them had gotten bored. At the moment, Pippin was going over his list of comments ("Merry? Why are we here? Merry? What's Gandalf doing? Are we lost? I think we are….") and Riley was gazing over the expanse of the cavern they'd just walked through, mostly trying to quiet her mind. After the original yelling-at-Legolas in her mind, she had taken to not thinking or feeling anything at all except hopelessness. Even though she knew how the story ended, she had begun to feel as if she didn't, and she couldn't see a way out. 

She didn't know it, since she hadn't seen a mirror in years, but her sense of helplessness gave the impression that she was dying. Not in a painful screwed-up-face way, but in a fading-away sort of way. The rest of the Fellowship watched in dismay as, over just a few hours, Riley's eyes had dimmed so that their normal brilliance was now a dull sea-green color. Consequently, everything around her began to seem lifeless. 

"Merry?"

"What?"

"I'm hungry."

Riley rolled her eyes and spotted Frodo climbing hurriedly up to Gandalf. "There's something down there!" he exclaimed quietly, gesturing back to the cavern.

"It's Gollum," Gandalf answered. 

"Gollum?"

"He's been following us for three days," he murmured. 

"He escaped the dungeons of Barad-dur." 

_Duh, Frodo_, Riley thought to herself with a small spark of her usual humor. 

Gandalf nodded slightly. "Escaped. Or was set loose. He hates and loves the Ring as he hates and loves himself. He will never be rid of his need for it."

_That was a really bad bridge of subjects_. 

"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance," Frodo said vehemently. 

"Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, and many that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death and judgment. Even the wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."

_Yeah, O Frodo of the Nine Fingers_.

"I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

_Don't we all_. But she wasn't thinking so much about the Ring. 

"So do all who come to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. There are other forces in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you were also 'meant' to have it. And that is an encouraging thought."

_You mean this is all gonna be okay? I should tell Leg--… can't. Oh._

"Oh! It's that way!" Gandalf said, allowing his voice to actually be at a normal volume. The Fellowship roused and looked up expectantly. 

"He's remembered!" Merry exclaimed happily. 

"No," Gandalf said, climbing to his feet, setting his hat on his head, and stepping towards the stairwell. "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."

 _Huh, I'll remember that _one_.  _

The stairs seemed endless, but of course they weren't, since that would make Arda a pretty big place. When the Fellowship emerged from the vertical tunnel, they found themselves in a wide-open space so large that Gandalf's light at first only penetrated a few feet from the staff. 

With a "Let me risk a little more light", the staff suddenly lit up the entire expanse of a great hall. Riley blinked in surprise. She'd never seen anything that huge. 

"Behold the great realm of the Dwarf-city of Dwarrowdelf," Gandalf said, his voice echoing throughout the entire hall. Who cared that the thing was old, it was majestic all the same.

"There's an eye-opener and no mistake," Riley heard Sam mutter. 

Walking across that hall was not the most fun thing in the world, since you didn't seem to be getting anywhere. If you took ten steps and then looked around, you'd swear you'd only moved a foot. Nonetheless, they did make progress. 

Quite suddenly, Riley realized exactly how close to the end of her journey she was. She had completely forgotten that she was only meant to go to Lothlorien, so technically, her adventure would be over by the end of the day. If she hadn't been so desperate to get away from Legolas, she would have begun her preparations for a long debate with mucho-scary-Elf-lady. 

It wasn't so much that she wanted to part with one of her dearest friends, but she certainly was not keen on having to be around him every second of the day. She just wished that Legolas had not been so truthful. Stupid honest Elves….

All of a sudden, Gimli gave a shout of dismay and charged off towards a chamber off to the side of the hall. Riley stared after him in surprise. She'd forgotten about that part….

The Fellowship followed the Dwarf quickly. Riley sprinted into the chamber and stopped behind Gimli, was howling with sorrow, thumping his helmet repeatedly on a large stone tomb in front of him. Riley had always found the helmet-thumping funny, but somehow, it didn't carry isn't usual hollowness. She actually felt sorry for Gimli, and for Bilbo, who would eventually find out that one of his friends had passed away. Poor Balin….

"'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' He is dead then. It's as I feared," Gandalf said sadly. 

Riley winced. _Why didn't he warn Gimli that his cousin was probably dead_? But then she remembered. _Ha. I'm complaining because Gandalf has a splinter, and here I am with a whole tree sitting on my head. I know _everything_. Why aren't _I_ warning them_?

Gandalf handed Pippin his hat and staff and bent to pick up an old, crumbling book. Dust poured off of it and it threatened to fall apart as Gandalf opened the cover, scanning the pages for something of interest. 

Riley heard Gimli muttering a prayer she'd never heard before ("Kilmin malur ni zaram kalil ran arag. Kheled-zâram. Balin tazlifi.") and Legolas muttered to Aragorn, "We must move on. We cannot linger."

"They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming." The ominous words echoed in the silence of the chamber. They were followed suddenly by an odd crackle and the sound of chain dragging across stone. 

Riley winced. She had forgotten about that too. The bucket that the chain was attached to followed a skeleton down the well, banging and smashing against the sides. Because it had been quiet for so long, the sound seemed much too loud to be safe. Riley held her breath, foolishly agonizing over the silence as the noise died out. Now the silence seemed too loud. 

While the rest of the Fellowship let out their breaths in relief after a few moments to tense waiting, Riley swallowed and backed towards a wall, suddenly desperate to be hidden. 

"Fool of a Took," Gandalf snapped, slamming the book closed. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Riley stepped away from the wall, angry beyond belief on the poor Hobbit's behalf. Time of vent some of that frustration. "Hey," she hissed savagely. "He was _curious_. Don't tell me you've never been curious, Gandalf! He made a mistake. No one's perfect!"

"You seem to think yourself perfect," Legolas grumbled softly. Nobody except Riley seemed to hear it. She rounded on him. 

"Legolas, go sniff a cactus!" she spat, drawing her sword and stalking towards the door. 

Then the drumming started. At first it was only one beat, and was gone so quickly that you had to question if you'd really heard it. But several beats followed soon afterwards, and you didn't have to the choice of ignorance any longer. Riley stuck her head out the door to make sure that there weren't any Orcs to be decapitated yet. 

"Frodo!" Sam exclaimed as Frodo drew his sword. Sting was glowing blue. 

Riley peeked out the door again and could see shadows moving towards her. 

"Orcs," Legolas hissed, and everyone sprang into action. 

Aragorn herded the Hobbits towards the Wizard. "Get back! Stay close to Gandalf."

Boromir raced past Riley to look out the door, luckily pulling his head back just in time to miss two arrows aimed at him. Riley jumped. Seeing large arrows narrowly miss your friend's head is a bit disturbing, if you didn't know. 

Aragorn ran to the door and helped them slam it shut. "They have a cave troll," Boromir said with false enthusiasm, leaning against the door. Riley backed away from the door and helped Legolas toss weapons to the men to help hold the doors closed.

It all seemed to go too quickly. A second later, Legolas was dragging her backwards to hide behind Gandalf with the Hobbits and leaving her while he went to head the Fellowship with the three other capable warriors. Then the door started shaking. 

An overwhelming wave of dread washed over Riley as the door began to be torn open. Legolas and Aragorn each fired an arrow through the growing holes, successfully taking out what she assumed were Orcs. Before they could take any more shots, however, the door burst open and Orcs flooded the room. 

Riley's first impression of Orcs was one of disgust. They were filthy and hideous and they reeked to high heaven, even from across the room. Even to look at them without a sickening feeling was near impossible. She had never seen anything so foul, and was hard pressed not to empty the contents of her stomach on the floor of the tomb. 

For a moment, the five less-experienced fighters only watched in horror as their friends shielded them from the attacks of the vile creatures, but when Gandalf gave a yell and leapt into the fray, they knew they had to follow. The Hobbits weakly imitated Gandalf and, giving feeble war cries of their own and brandishing their swords, they jumped forwards to attack with frightened faces. Riley swallowed hard, standing paralyzed for longer than was prudent. She had never been so afraid in her life. The sword in her hands felt heavy, as though her arms had turned to jelly, and she watched, terrified, as the fighting began. "Oh no," she murmured fearfully, wanting more than anything in the world to be somewhere else. 

But while she was trying her best to ignore the Orcs, it seems the Orcs did not wish to return the favor. One particularly gruesome fellow ran at her, waving his sword in front of him like an idiot. Before Riley fully registered what exactly she was doing, she had used her own sword to knock her opponent's weapon aside and had cleanly separated his head from his body. 

The practice she had been so horrible at had paid off. She blinked as the Orc's body fell to the ground, spurting black blood from the neck, and looked at her own sword, which was held in front of her, her entire body having taken a defensive posture. 

A thundering caused the ground to shake, and a cave troll suddenly broke its way into the room. Riley looked up in surprise. She had not expected it to be so big. 

Legolas fired an arrow directly into the right side of the cave troll's chest, but the thick skin caught it before it reached any internal organs. Watching the cave troll scream in outrage, Riley decided right then and there that she would someday smack Legolas very hard over the head for making the troll angry. 

By defect, the troll's fury was directed at the first thing it saw. Poor tiny Sam shouted and rolled out of the way, scrambling under the troll's legs and a giant club smacked down on the ground where the Hobbit had been. The troll may have been slow, but its size gave it an advantage, and with just a step it had fully turned around to face the Hobbit, who was cowering in a corner. The cave troll raised its foot to simply stomp out the problem, but a sudden tug on the chain around its neck by Aragorn and Boromir caused it to stumble backwards. 

As soon as the troll's attention was somewhere other than Sam, Aragorn wisely let go of the chain and turned back to the fighting. Boromir realized too late that the troll was very aware of the fact that it controlled the chain. With a jerk, Boromir went flying across the room, slamming high into a wall and tumbling to the ground, too dazed to move. 

Riley took the initiative, since she was so close, and chose to dispatch of the Orc that had decided to get rid of the man while he was unarmed. With a strong thrust, the sword fatally wounded the Orc, and Riley could not bring herself to feel any remorse for the creature, whose eyes were just as cold and depraved as ever. She smirked at the Orc smugly and yanked her sword out of its chest, grimacing at the blood that masked the beauty of her weapon. 

A roar of victory from behind her warned her of another Orc's existence just before it impaled her. Or at least, before it tried. Aragorn had taken notice of it and had put a very nice hole in its head. Riley grinned at her friend, and he nodded back in acknowledgment. 

By the time Riley had gotten Boromir back to his feet again, Legolas had already leapt onto the high walkway that hugged the wall of the cubed room. Unfortunately this was directly at eye-level with the cave troll, and it was still using its chain to its advantage. Riley watched in awe as the Elf deftly dodged the swinging chain that so easily tore holes in the stone it came into contact with. As Legolas ran up on top of the troll, Riley suddenly spotted a group of three Hobbits hurrying from pillar-to-pillar. She gasped and sprinted towards that side of the room, feeling worry knot in her stomach. 

She passed Sam somewhere along the way and vaguely registered his triumphant, "I think I'm getting the hang of this!" as she climbed up onto the walkway and yanked Frodo away from Merry and Pippin just in time to keep him from being injured. 

Frodo and Riley huddled on one side of the pillar. Riley peeked out and made sure the cave troll was gone, and the two scrambled around to the other side of the pillar just in time. Frodo pulled her by her sleeve to hide behind the pillar and he let out a relieved sigh just before the troll popped up next to him. 

Although she shouldn't have been surprised, Riley couldn't help screaming in alarm. She and Frodo automatically scrambled away from the monster, only to find that it followed them. Riley quickly latched onto Frodo by the arms as the cave troll wrapped a hand around his legs and dragged him off the walkway. 

"Aragorn!" Frodo yelled in desperation. 

Riley's legs smacked a boulder painfully, and she let go of Frodo, rolling off the boulder and falling heavily to the ground. Pain cut across her body, but she scrambled to her feet and rushed to Frodo just as Aragorn jumped in front of him, pushing the end of a sharp stick into the troll's side. Undeterred, the troll grabbed the stick and used the same method it had with Boromir to rid himself of something unwanted. Aragorn flew into a wall and slumped to the ground, whether unconscious or severely dazed, Riley did not know. 

But now it was serious. Frodo was trying desperately to escape, and almost succeeding. She had to make sure things went right! That mithril shirt was protection! She had to make sure…

She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The pain she had felt before was nothing compared to this. Riley blinked in surprise. No. This wasn't the way it happened! This was wrong!

She definitely didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel, but what she did see was infinitely more afflictive. 

She saw Shawn's wild hand gestures. 

She felt Jeremy's reassurance.

She saw Gandalf's wise face. 

She saw Arwen's teasing smiles. 

She felt Aragorn's comforting presence. 

She saw Legolas's beautiful eyes.

She saw his hair. 

She saw his lips. 

She saw his hands. 

But most of all, she felt that feeling that she had gradually begun to associate with him. 

He was so very important to her. 

His scathing remarks had hurt more than anything… because he was the person she least wanted to hear them from.  

Riley breathed out shakily. The pain was numbing now…. There were black spots floating around in her vision, making it harder and harder to see anything at all.

She wished she'd had the chance to tell him before….

She really did love him more than anything. 

With a pathetic, soft little whimper, Riley slumped over, never seeing her friend's faces as they realized what had just happened. 

The Elfin Child had been speared through the heart.

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*Speaks through an intercom from under her frying pan so that she's still safe* You guys, I am SO SORRY, but she was going completely Sue, and if you didn't see that then… well… you need help. *nervous laugh* It's probably not the best thing to be insulting my readers right now, is it? 

But anyways… I didn't tell anyone about this because I had already made up my mind and really didn't want anyone to change it. Um… I'm just gonna say again that I am SO SORRY. 

I'm probably going to do another couple chapters… one from Legolas's point of view, of course, and then the people's at home, just to kind of show what happens when Riley doesn't come back. 

I'm sorry again. Please review and tell me how extremely awful I am… I'll read them RIGHT before I write about Legolas so that I'm depressed and that'll reflect in the chapter. 

*Offers candy and chocolate and anything else you want as a peace offering* 

I am especially begging Arch of Wand (Risa) and Autumn Darkness (my sister) to forgive me… I talk to Risa almost every day and my sister lives in my house and I DON'T WANT TO DIE! I'm too young, I tell you! I can't die before September 22nd! I have my first college class then! DON'T KILL ME!


	29. Friends of Gold

**A/N:** Behold the shortest chapter on earth! Actually, I've read shorter, but that's not the point. 

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Chapter Twenty-One – Friends of Gold

A shout called Legolas's attention away from the battle. Shouting was not altogether a strange thing to hear while fighting a room-full of Orcs and a giant cave troll, but this shout was not a battle cry. It was one of desperate fear. Turning, Legolas spotted the source of the yell. 

To his horror, he saw the Ringbearer dangling from the troll's hands and the Elfin Child just as she was hitting a particularly nasty boulder. 

Anger flared in his heart. Neither of them should have to take more than they the burden they were already carrying, and that troll was disobeying the rules: no touching either of them without permission. Especially Riley. 

An Orc mysteriously appeared in front of him, and Legolas disposed of him deftly, keeping his eyes trained on the struggle across the room, which was beginning to seriously worry him. Under normal battling circumstances, he had no doubt Riley could handle herself. Despite her childish antics and clumsy tendencies, when pushed to her limit, she reacted amazingly. Aragorn had not let up during sword practice until the girl had literally sunk to her knees from exhaustion. 

But these were not normal circumstances, and Riley's movements were unusually unstable. She pushed herself towards Frodo as Aragorn jumped into the fray and gave them a moment of safety. Her balance seemed to be teetering precariously on the edge of nonexistent as she desperately tried to do _something_. 

Legolas had to look away for a moment when two Orcs decided they should try to take the Elf on at the same time. When he turned back, what he saw shocked him. 

He blinked. No, nothing had changed. 

Riley's eyes were wide and frightened, staring up at the cave troll in terrified wonder. Her hands had unconsciously reached up to grasp the hug spear that was protruding from her chest. 

"No," Legolas breathed. She would not die, not this way. Not ever. He'd see to it.

The fighting became frantic as the Fellowship raced to get to their friend. With a cry, Merry and Pippin leapt onto the cave trolls back, pounding on it recklessly. The troll managed to get a hold of Merry and sent him sailing across the room. Legolas strung his bow and aimed, waiting for the perfect moment to dispatch of the troll. He did not have to wait long. Pippin dealt a blow with his knife that most likely stung severely, and the troll threw its head back, howling in pain. Perfect. Legolas let the arrow loose, and it sailed through the cave troll's mouth, the tip appearing on the back of the troll's head. 

The troll let out a small murmur of surprise, fingering the feathers on the arrow protruding from its mouth. With a groan, it collapsed to the ground, sending Pippin flying off its back.

Legolas let out a breath and suddenly felt a wave of dread wash over him. _Riley_.

Valar… she had thought he was still angry with her. He was frustrated, yes, but never truly angry. He had watched in dismay over the past four days as the girl who had made herself so much a part of his life went from a vivacious young woman to a deadening shell. This had worried him as much as it had increased his frustration with her. The world did _not revolve around her, and the sooner she learned this, the better. _

But she never would learn it. Legolas gave a soft, broken sob of pain, nearly collapsing at the onslaught of emotions that struck him as he stared at the fallen figure of the girl who had, before his eyes, grown into a woman so laboriously. 

"Riley…" he whispered, taking a faltering step towards his friend. He couldn't lose her. Not yet. 

*          *          *

The entire club was in an uproar. For seconds after the disappearance, no one had been able to move, and everything had gone deadly silent. The first sound had been a scream, and had snapped the stunned audience out of their shock.

Jeremy's mind had gone numb and everything moved slowly, like molasses, but one thought was screaming at him. _Riley had known. Maybe not that it would happen again, but she had known that it _could_ happen. _

Jeremy had been snapping pictures with Riley's digital camera, when someone had bumped into him and he had fallen to the ground. The camera had skidded out onto the stage next to Riley's feet, and then it had happened, and the camera was gone too. 

Jeremy followed Dean as he ran out onto the stage, searching in vain for the superstar. The audience was scrambling in all directions, shouting and crying. Security was trying to keep the crowd under control, but it wasn't working. 

Stopping in middle down-stage, Jeremy gazed out over the crowd. It had been at least two minutes… hadn't Riley said that her first adventure was instantaneous? Shouldn't she be back by now?

Everyone was in a frenzy. Television cameras were sweeping the audience, looking for any sign of order. Just then, there was a collective gasp, and Jeremy spun around. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It's still not over yet… I suggest you keep reading. You might like the rest.


	30. Comparison to Pig

**A/N:** Okay, I just have to say hello to some truly hilarious people who reviewed. HELLO! *waves at Autumn Darkness (overgrown weed eater with a killer cat, huh?), Sweet-Confusion7177, I'm an Angry Gumball (I seriously want to steal your penname, Lol!), Arch of Wand (Hi, #1 Risa!!), and Josie* *waves at everyone else because they _reviewed_ half a bazillion times! Ah!* 

Oh, that "go sniff a cactus" thing is my sister's. She has many odd moments, that one. 

Also… I'm changing my penname! Go me! From here on (September 4, 2003), I shall be known as **Captain Oblivious!** Woohoo, go me!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter Twenty-Two – Comparison to a Pig 

The silence echoed throughout the chamber as the Fellowship stared at the fallen Elfin Child. It could not be… her journey to their world could not be so limited, so pointless! Had Fate brought them this gift, this precious young life, only to have it taken brutally from them? 

Aragorn, who had recovered consciousness just as Riley was slumping to the ground, crawled weakly towards the girl. 

Whimpers of "Riley" and denying whispers broke the silence, but not the shocked tension. Aragorn reached for her, steeling himself to see the face of an old friend whose body would be abandoned to the merciless Orcs. He rolled her over. 

_"Riley!" a voice called from behind her. Riley had just been on her way to retrieve her pack from her room, having wasted precious minutes of preparation gazing out over the expanse of Rivendell, savoring her last moment in complete safety. _

_Smiling, Riley turned to find Frodo hurrying towards her, something tucked haphazardly _(A/N: KirbeeDesirae inspired that word… go you!)_ under his vest. "Hello, Frodo. How are you this fine purple morning?" she chirped happily. Frodo blinked at her, and Riley shrugged. "Just felt like saying, 'Purple', sorry."_

_Frodo gave her a stressed little smile. "As well as can be expected, considering," he said. _

_Riley grinned. "So… you feel like the world's lost a bit of weight and you don't have to carry quite as much?" That didn't make sense at all…._

_Frodo gave her a nervous little smile again. "Riley… may I speak with you for a moment?"_

_"Sure." Riley led the way to her room and began shoving a few remaining items into her pack. "What's on your mind, oh Hobbit-Who-Shall-Save-the-World?"_

_Frodo fidgeted with whatever was under his vest for a minute before pulling out something that gleamed silver. Riley blinked in awe. "Whoa, mithril. It's so pretty! You should wear that," she said, nodding wisely._

_But Frodo pushed the mithril shirt into her hands. "I want you to wear it." Riley immediately refused and tried to give the shirt back, but the Hobbit wouldn't take it. "No. I know how everyone worries about you, especially Legolas. I want you to wear it; it's the least I can do since you saved me from having a lifelong pain to endure!" Ah, so he had found out the effects of that Morgul blade. _

_"No, Frodo, listen to me. It's very important that you wear this shirt!" Riley tried again._

_"Riley, I know you know what will happen to me. I trust you to stop it."_

_"Great, what are you, kamikaze Hobbit?" she exclaimed._

_"Riley, wear it. But if you choose not to, leave it here," Frodo said, stepping out the door and ending the argument. _

_"We're doomed," Riley groaned._

Riley's eyes sprang open and she gasped, clutching at her chest. Some of the Fellowship stumbled backwards in surprise. Some stared in shock. Pippin fell over. 

Riley's shirt was torn, as they had expected. Her face wore an expression of intense pain. The fact that she was wearing any expression at all besides a dead one was a miracle in itself, but this was a living, breathing, not-soaked-in-her-own-blood girl named Riley!

"Ow," the girl moaned, on the verge of tears and shaking. Her breathing was erratic and her eyes darted around in a frightened manner, but other than that, she was perfectly fine!

Legolas took a step towards her before remembering that they really were not on the best of terms. 

"You should be dead," Aragorn murmured, voicing all their thoughts, save perhaps one. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar."

Riley winced. "Are you comparing me to a pig?" she asked haltingly.

Gandalf chuckled. "I think there's more to this girl than meets the eye."

On cue, Riley pushed as part of her shirt to reveal Frodo's mithril shirt. Frodo gave a shout of triumph. "See, I knew you'd know what to do!" he cried. Riley looked as if she wanted to glare at the Hobbit. 

"Mithril!" Gimli said in amazement. "You are full of surprises, young Riley."

Riley gave Gimli a pained smile. "Not so little anymore, Master Dwarf."

Suddenly, the sound of thousands of feet coming their way stirred the Fellowship out of their semi-relaxed state. 

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!" Gandalf shouted, and Riley was hauled to her feet and dragged along with the rest of the Fellowship as they raced back out into the great Hall.

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**A/n: **LOL! You guys have NO idea how hard I laughed when I read all of your reviews. The majority of you sounded like you wanted to kill me. Some of you were accepting, and that was great. Many thanks to **ketsuki** for the advice! WOW that was a long review….

Okay, now to make the announcements that I had to hold off on because it would have given you too much hope. Oh, by the way, the whole point to pretending that was 'the end' was to give you an idea of how you would feel if your friend had just gotten stabbed in the chest in front of your eyes. If you've never seen that, it's a bit hard to just imagine, especially when you 'know' what's going to happen next. 

**Announcement 1:** I'm gonna start doing Word of the Days! *shrug* Just thought it'd be fun.

**Announcement 2:** I want to start recommending other fics to read. Things that are written well and yadayada. I'll start with one of mine because I want to gather of list of others' works before I post about them. If you want your fic to be recommended, tell me in your review! The first thing I recommend you read is my first songfic. It's called "When He Loved Me" and it's a Harry Potter deal (the new center of my fanfiction life, surprisingly).

**Announcement 3:** I told 'Ani' a while back that I did not plan on having a beta. Well, my organizer has once again thwarted my attempts to keep my life in order. I'm looking for a beta (or three)! At the bottom of this author's note, you will find my instructions for if you are interested in beta-ing for me. 

Do you realize I got 64 reviews for the last two chapters?! That is AMAZING! How come you don't normally do that? Oh yeah, forgot. *smacks her forehead* I don't normally pretend to kill my characters off. Huh. Silly me. However… we are so very close to 700 reviews… let's try for it, shall we? Pleeeeeeaaaaaassseeee?

Review!

**Potential Betas: **

Email me (it's in my bio) with your first name (you see, I'd like to be able to _talk_  to you), a statement on why you wish to be the beta for Traveler, and a short essay on the subject give below. You may express opinion, fact, dream, and/or any other information you deem necessary to the essay. I'm not asking for a college thesis, just a paragraph or two (or more, if you really get on a roll) will be absolutely fine. 

The entire point for the essay is to make sure that you do have some grammatical sense and creativeness. I want people that I can talk to about the future of this story and get constructive criticism and suggestions about how I should handle things. I'll also send the Beta (or three, like I said) the next chapter before I post it for a quick editing. 

I'm getting a little professional with this, but I will draw up (type) a statement that I will have the Beta (or three) 'sign'. It'll basically just say that they know the responsibilities and terms that come with the job (those will be listed… it's not as bad as I'm making it sound. I'm just making sure that I get the best I can). 

So, without further ado, the subject. 

**God.**

If you have any questions, please ask!


	31. Underneath the Miracle

**Word of the day:** Bouncy – tending to bounce, springy, elastic, lively energetic. In other words, a football player who just scored a touchdown (my mother loves football… go figure!).

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****

**Chapter Twenty-Three – Underneath the Miracle**

Supposedly, mithril was a big miracle. It was certainly comforting to know that nothing could break the skin that it protected. But nobody ever mentioned that bone-crushing pressure was still bone-crushing pressure underneath the miracle, and Riley would have preferred she'd died instead of having to live with what she was beginning to think was going to be a lifelong bruise and broken rib. 

As it happened, the severe ache in her chest was making breathing extremely painful, and one needs air when one is running for one's life away from vicious, mutated Elves. Enough said.

The Fellowship was running at breakneck speed, and Riley was lagging behind. Not that it really mattered. They were still going to be surrounded by Orcs within the next minute, and then… yup, there they were: icky, slimy little buggers who liked to imitate monkeys and bugs. 

Riley skidded to a halt next to the Hobbits, leaning with her hands on her thighs, either trying to catch her breath or cough up a lung. She wasn't sure which yet. 

The Orcs and Goblins (with weapons, oh my) had surrounded them as she'd 'predicted', and were growling and shrieking excitedly. Riley honestly didn't blame them for being happy – if she'd been eating rocks for the past few years, she'd be glad to have a burger too! She did, however, have a problem with _being_ the burger. That was why she cowered behind Gandalf and Legolas. 

It seemed almost as if the enemies were just torturing their victims with a bunch of yelling and a long, agonizing wait. If the Orcs hadn't been so idiotic, they might have eaten the entire Fellowship. But they were idiotic, and the first sign of a larger, more frightening enemy came before they even tried to kill anyone. 

What sounded like a low growl suddenly alerted everyone to the presence of the Balrog. There was a split second when there was complete silence, and then the entire hall was filled with panicky screams. As the Orcs ran, Gimli gave a triumphant laugh that made Riley want to thump him on the Helmet. What, did he think they scared the Orcs away with their giant muscles? Stupid Dwarf. Only the blind would not see the glowing, fiery light that was headed their way!  

Boromir certainly did, because he immediately asked Gandalf, "What is this new devilry?"

"A demon. What else looks like an angry Taun-Taun?" Okay, too much Star Wars for Riley.

"Indeed," Gandalf agreed, though Riley suspected that he was disregarding the Taun-Taun comment. "A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!" He really hadn't needed to say that; most of the Fellowship would have bolted anyways.

Again with the running! That reminded her… they were nearing the time when they would lose Borormir and the Fellowship would break. Then… (oi) more running. She guessed she'd go with Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli… there were fewer chances for her to seriously screw things up that way. She'd have to ask Galadriel if… oh yeah. She was supposed to stay in Lothlorien. Another oi. 

_Oh, look, stairs. I'm saying, "Oi," a lot today, aren't I?_

She'd almost forgotten about her habit of zoning out during crucial moments. Apparently she hadn't grown out of it. 

But back to the stairs. Riley had never been too good with stairs, and coupled with the fact that every step caused pain, she had a bit to concentrate on.

The Fellowship urged her in front of them and she completely spaced the sharp drop-off, since she was expecting Boromir to nearly charge of the edge. She remembered just in time to ski to a halt, balancing precariously on tip-toe on the edge of the non-existent stairs.

A sudden jerk on the back of her shirt caused her to fall backwards into her savior's arms, and she didn't realize until she was already racing down stairs again that it had been Legolas who saved her. She figured she was having _all_ her near-death experiences in one day, and it appeared to be good for her relationship with Legolas (relationship? *snort* No…) Either that, or he saved her because he could and he felt sorry for the little whiny human. Oh man, it was the last one! Crap!

She was so focused on going down the stairs that when the gap suddenly appeared in front of her, she simply leapt over it and then stopped. She did something right, ha! She used the precious time of no-running to breathe and help usher the other Fellowship members further down the stairs so there was room for those who were still incoming. However, she did have to mimic Gimli's ill-timed happy laugh when he almost fell ("Ha ha! Ow!"). Nobody had the time to give her the usual reprimanding glance. 

All of a sudden, an arrow struck the stair next to her foot. "Ah!" she shrieked, not sure what to do except wonder how the heck they could shoot arrows across _that gap. _

"Your bow, Riley!" Legolas called while stringing his own bow. 

Oh, she _did have a bow, didn't she? _

Working quickly, she shot an arrow at a moving shadow. _Oh. That's how_, she thought as she watched an Orc tumble down to Who-Knows-Where. "Legolas, catch them," she shouted above the sudden crunching of the stairs. An arrow grazed her ear and she angrily sent two more Orcs to their deaths. She really wanted to get out of this alive. Geez. Apparently it was a lot to ask.

A tremor under her feet alerted her to Aragorn and Frodo's safety, and she was immediately off down the stairs again, chanting, "Almost there, almost safe, almost there, almost…" in her mind. She didn't wait to make sure her friends were still behind her before charging across the bridge of Khazad-dum and racing out the door into the sunlight. 

Riley squinted up at the sky, drawing slow, relieved breaths. Suddenly, she gasped and turned, running past Legolas and back into the mines. "Gandalf!" she shouted, feet sliding around the last corner on loose rocks. 

And there it was. For a split second, she saw the Balrog, and it did indeed look like a possessed Taun-Taun with wings. Granted, it was about fifty times larger and more intimidating than a regular Taun-Taun, but it probably smelled worse on the inside than the outside. 

Riley stumbled back from the sudden spike in temperature and ran smack into Legolas, who had followed her into the mines. She spared him a glance, feeling a huge rush of emotions at the sight of his face. When she turned back to look at Gandalf, the bridge crumbled underneath the Balrog's weight and it fell with a deafening roar. 

Everyone left in the mines except Riley heaved sighs of relief. Riley held her breath, and saw the whip coming from beneath the bridge before anyone else did. With a sharp crack, it wound itself around Gandalf's ankle and jerked him backwards off the bridge. He barely managed to catch himself on the edge of broken rock. 

The people around her began yelling, but Riley froze. This wasn't fun anymore. Her friend was about to fall down a giant hole to 'certain' death. 

"Fly, you fools!" Gandalf grunted. And then he let go.

Riley envied Frodo for having the ability to move. Her body seemed to be incapable of movement as she stared in pained shock after her friend. 

She only realized that Legolas was pulling her away when she lost sight of the bridge. She turned around and followed Legolas out onto the rocks outside the entrance. 

Without thinking, she dropped to the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest. The range of emotions she had experienced that day – anger, frustration, numbness, exhilaration, fear, love, and loss – suddenly overwhelmed her. 

She started to weep with loud, uncontrolled, broken sobs. Underneath the miracle, after all, she was just a girl. 

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**A/N:** We went camping this weekend. I sat down and wrote this chapter in about an hour. I was very proud of myself! Anyways… I start a couple college classes tomorrow (I'm a senior in high school, and I'm homeschooled, so I'm using the community college classes to finish up with required credits this year). I'm really nervous because I haven't been to school since third grade. *shiver* While I'm getting adjusted, updates may come a bit slower than normal… I'm not sure yet. 

You may have noted (or probably not) that I used the word "crap" in this chapter. I've decided that I'm going to quit pretending that I don't use it, just because my parents don't like it. They're the only people I know who think that and saying that things suck or they're screwed up is bad. So, sorry, but they need to deal. My youth pastor says it all the time too. 

I'm waiting until my next chapter to start with my Betas. Well… that's mostly because certain people (*cough*Risa*cough*) have said they're planning on submitting an essay, but they haven't yet. So I'm giving them a few more weeks. 

**Recommended fic:** "Return to Jurassic" by Autumn Darkness. Jurassic Park fic… very funny. 

Review please!


	32. Butt and Death Faker

**A/N:** Hem hem. Ew… Umbridge. Blech. 

Anywho… *whacks herself over the head with her frying pan*

And that's that. Shall I have a contest to make it up for you? Okeliedokie. Details on that at the end of the chapter, then.

**Word of the day: **Hate – to feel hostility or animosity toward, to detest, to feel dislike or distaste for. 

Everyone say hi to my new Betas… HI! *waves at Arch of Wand, Hathor, and Tsumi*

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Chapter Twenty-Four – Butt and Death-Faker 

While the rest of the Fellowship sprinted into the forest of Lothlorien, Riley dawdled along, dragging her feet and feeling thoroughly miserable. Legolas had lifted her back into a standing position outside of Moria, and Riley had relished the gentle contact that left her skin tingling. Yet he hadn't stopped, hadn't held her while she cried. He had only touched her in the first place because Aragorn had told him to get everyone up and going! Did he really hate her so much that to be around her at all was utterly revolting? It couldn't be that. They had been, after all, the best of friends. Such simple words could not have destroyed their friendship! She needed at least that. She couldn't stand being unaccepted by anyone, least of all him!

Suddenly, she had a rather disturbing thought. What if she were to step out of her comfort zone and approach _him? It was not really Legolas's fault that his words had so badly affected her. She was, when she thought about it, actually in the wrong this time. All he had ever asked was that she be honest with him. Did his friendship mean so little that she could not even give him that? He had always protected her and been there for her, even before she knew him. He had looked right on past the fact that she first appeared to be little more than an insane child, and had helped her to express herself and to become confident in herself. Was she so arrogant that she had not recognized this until now? _

As Riley walked slowly into the woods, a choking pain caught in her chest, much like the crushing pressure of the cave troll's spear. She had been so arrogant, so selfish this whole time. How could she deserve the attention she had received?

She had forced herself on the Elves of Rivendell, showed disrespect to those with thousands of years more experience than she could ever have. She had assumed a friendship with two people she thought she knew, simply because she had longed for them. She had demanded to accompany the Fellowship, and had acted like a child when someone told her 'no'. 

Up until now, she had only been able to see her own life and how things affected her. What about the others? The Hobbits, she now was sure, were extremely homesick and depressed. Aragorn was taking on as much of everyone's burdens as he could, and more. Legolas, who felt pain so much more keenly than any of them, had just experienced a friend's supposed death. _Two friends' supposed deaths, if she could still be considered anything close to a friend of his. And Boromir… oh, poor Boromir! She was not the only one who had trouble with parents. Boromir's father looked to him to make everything perfect, much like her parents looked to her to _be_ perfect. He was struggling so much with the desire to be honorable and strong, and she had been a brat to him since the moment she met him!_

And what of her parents? Had they really been as cruel as she had thought, or was it simply that she had decided they were and stuck to it? How did Jeremy feel giving up his life to be with her every waking second? _He could have said no_, something told her, but she didn't think he could have. Jeremy had always been one to do anything to make others happy….

How did everyone put up with her… her and this mask she was wearing? 

_Look at me. You may think you see who I really am, but you'll never know me. Everyday, it's as if I've played a part. Now I see, if I wear a mask, I can fool the world, but I cannot fool my heart. Who is that girl I see staring straight back at me? When will my reflection show who I am inside?_

The words came unbidden to her mind. That would make a beautiful song. 

And suddenly her fingers were itching for a pen… quill… thing.  She had left all her writing tools in Rivendell, and she would probably be lucky if the Elves of Lorien did not find her as repulsive as she found herself at the moment.  

She began playing with different tunes, rolling them around in her mind and occasionally humming aloud. Legolas would like this song, she was sure. She might not have wanted to admit she was wrong, but she needed him to hear it as soon as it was finished, even if it would hurt her pride in doing so.

Riley looked up just in time to avoid running face-first into a very pretty arrow… a very pretty Elvish arrow belonging to a very pretty Lothlorien archer. Well, wasn't that funny? An Elvish archer who wanted to shoot (arch?) her. Go figure. 

"Hi," she croaked wearily. The Elf raised an eyebrow and she quirked one back. Staring contests with Elves are pointless, so she looked around… and didn't see anyone. Where was the Fellowship? "Legolas?" she called tentatively. 

She heard a soft murmuring somewhere in front of her, and then a grunt that could only be Gimli and his voice. "Aragorn, we should turn back. These woods are perilous!"

Rolling her eyes, Riley called, "You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood," in a perfect, drawling Haldir impression. "You cannot go back."

Oh-Archer-Who-Wishes-to-Arch-Me's eyebrows shot up, frosty eyes showing the slightest bit of confusion. "What?" Riley asked. "Did you and Haldir rehearse that line? And can I see him now?" Taking jabs at this Elf sure was helping to work her depression off.

Suddenly, words echoed in her ears. "_These are the footsteps of doom_…," it began.

Riley looked irritably up at the sky. "Wrong head, Galadriel. You're supposed to be saying this to Frodo, who is way up_ there_, while I am way back _here. _A little help would be nice_!" she snapped. _

Oooh, she had probably just doomed herself to a gruesome death by mirror… or monkeys. Did they have monkeys in Middle-Earth? They had Elves and miniature, hairy people (midgets with extra male hormones? Ew….), dragons, the Undead, mutated Elves, and a giant, floating eyeball who was trying to take over the world… so monkeys shouldn't be a problem.

Vaguely, Riley realized that someone had called her guard and he was marching her toward her friends, but she was too into her inner monologue to stop now!

Those Orcs (or Goblins or whatever they were) in Moria had acted like monkeys – climbing all over the walls and the ceiling. Maybe they were monkey descendants? Or would they be ancestors? If Middle-Earth was indeed a pre-Earth, did monkeys even exist yet? Pippin acted like a monkey sometimes… but Pippin also sniffed walls and talked to pine cones, so there really wasn't any way to tell if there were monkeys in Middle-Earth without… 

"Do you have monkeys?" was the first thing that popped out of Riley's mouth when she realized she was standing in front of Haldir. 

Haldir gave her a once over and then gave her his patented Holier-Than-Thou glare reserved only for… the living. Sometimes even the dead. It really depended on whether or not you bugged him, which everyone did.  

Riley gave Haldir a cheeky grin, determined to use her talent of getting out of anything and everything to an advantage… mostly because there was no Gandalf here to tell her not to, or to see through her schemes. Poor Gandalf… was he still fighting the Balrog, or had he floated off beyond space and time yet?

Haldir was mumbling some gibberish (Elvish, no doubt, but Riley didn't give a brownie at the moment) to the Lorien Archery Team, and then he turned and motioned for Riley to follow him. Riley obeyed for a second before she realized that she didn't know where she was letting him take her. 

"Oi, Haldir o Lorien! Aren't we supposed to bring _them_?" she asked, motioning back to the Fellowship. 

"_Follow him, Little One_," the voice echoed in her head again. Haldir gave Riley a smug look and began walking again. 

Riley followed, grumbling, "Stupid happy cow…."

*          *          *

After deciding that she was gonna try out this not-perfect thing on Haldir, she discovered that not everyone likes it when you're not perfect. She also discovered that roots were not her friends, and dirt is much dirtier when you have a very attractive Elf staring icily at you. She tried to ignore him altogether, but he _was_ leading her through a forest she'd never been in before. After she stumbled – and nearly fell – for the fourth time, she decided two things: (1) she was not just going through a "clumsy moment," and (2) deciding to be un-perfect with Haldir was a very stupid idea, considering that she'd been looking forwards to impressing him and getting to be great friends.

By the time it started to get dark, Riley was sure that she liked Haldir about as much as she liked that mascot that had teased her at the Redskins game when she was six. If she'd known Haldir any better, she might have been able to see that he liked her about as much as the squirrel that lived in the tree outside his window – the one that pelted him with nuts and twigs every time he approached the balcony. 

As it was, Riley spent much less time talking than she normally did. For the most part, she was trying to think up a way to get Galadriel to let her continue on the Fellowship's journey. They would be in Lorien for weeks; surely Galadriel would see the light in that time. Oh, wait… Galadriel was Lady of Light. Huh. 

"Yo, Haldir o Lorien, it's getting late. How far are we gonna go?" Riley finally called, leaning heavily on a tree and massaging around the area that had been hit by the spear earlier that day. 

Haldir kept on moving. "Until you are fatigued."

Riley raised an eyebrow, but nevertheless limped after him. "But I'm fatigued _now_. Can't we stop?"

"No."

Riley blinked. What? _No_? What was it with Middle-Earthians and saying, "No?!" Bloody _heck_, for Bob's sake! "But, Haldir, I'm _tired_. Every muscle in my body is aching, I have gone through a battle, a friend's death, and a buttload of running all today. Now can we _stop_?" 

"You are not fatigued."

That did it. Riley stopped right where she was, fell over, and lay limp and unmoving on the ground. 

"Get up." 

Riley didn't move. 

"Get up, Edain."

_Nope, not moving_. 

"Very well. I am leaving you here."

_Good riddance_. 

"I am warning you…."

_What are you gonna do? Drag me? You do that and I'm fairly sure there are about eight males I know back that-a-way who would gladly castrate you_.

"Get up!"

_Let's see how you like it._ _No_.

"Don't be a child."

_Child?__ Friggin' idiot._

There was a pause, and finally a huff as Haldir sat down stiffly next to her. "Fine," he grumbled. 

Riley immediately opened her eyes, reached over, and patted Haldir on the knee. "Good boy. Now go get me dinner."

To say that Haldir glared is like saying that very few people read fan fiction. It's an understatement. 

Just then, a crackling caught their attention, and Riley and Haldir turned to watch as a deer came into sight. Riley watched, enraptured, as the graceful creature pranced lightly through the foliage. "Wow," she breathed. And then she was suddenly aware that Haldir had notched at arrow on his bow and was aiming at the deer. "Whoa!" she shouted, startling the deer and causing it to run off deeper into the forest. "We are _viewing_ wildlife, Haldir, not _ventilating it!" _

Haldir looked at her oddly. "Have you never seen an animal killed before?"

Riley gave an unladylike snort. "_Yes_, but why should I let you do what you want? It's so much more fun to _annoy_ you!"

And there was that glare again….

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And there we are. I tried to make this chapter a bit longer because I haven't updated in ages (college, don't ya know), but I thought this would be an excellent place to stop. "Bill, strange things are afoot at the Circle K." … Sorry, saying, "Excellent" reminded me of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. *grin*

Okay, contest. I am holding a fan art contest, yey! *claps giddily* The deadline for entries will be in… oh, say… okay. January… 21st. Yeah, January 21, 2004. I will have updated at least one more time before then, and then I'll give you a one-week warning (so don't think I've updated the story on the 14th… it'll just be an author's note).

When or if you send your entry, label it, give it a quote, whatever. At least let me know what your penname is. 

Feel free to draw any part or character of any of the following stories: _The Traveler – The Lord of the Rings, _If You're Not the One_, __When He Loved Me, _Lia Malfoy_ (horrible Mary-Sue monstrosity that is in the process of being completely rewritten), or __Portal to China (our recommended story of the day… not mine)_

The piece that I feel is the best will be chosen as the winner… and the winner will be awarded with a preview of a long-anticipated scene (hint: our favorite Elf and OC) that I've already written. 

If you'd like to look at some art that I find to be some of the best I've ever seen, look both at and . As you can see there, I love both life-like portraits and cartoon-ish characters! 

Hope you'll participate. Don't worry if your drawing skills are rusty… mine are too. 

**Recommended story: **_Portal to __China_ by Portal to China (original people, aren't they?) 

Oh, btw… does anyone want an email when I update? Let me know in your review, and include an email (not an it's-in-my-bio-note… that'd take too long to look up twenty email addresses)!

Review, my minions! *snort*


	33. Haldir's Nerves

Word of the day: Annoying – to cause slight irritation to (another) by troublesome, often repeated acts.  To harass or disturb by repeated attacks. 

And if you haven't seen "Return of the King" yet… **it's the best bloody movie ever!** I saw it twice within the first four days it was out.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Thanks again to my betas, Arch of Wand, Hathor and Tsumi!

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Chapter Twenty-Five – Haldir's Nerves 

"I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves.  I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, and this is how it goes…."

"I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves.  I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, and this is how it goes…."

"I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, everbo—ah!" *thump*

"Stupid roots that cover the stupid holes in the stupid ground," Riley grumbled as she tried to ignore Haldir's laughing.  The one time she really wanted to sink into her own thoughts and she couldn't get the bloody Elf's laughter out of her head. 

She tilted her head so that she could see Haldir, which incidentally meant she was looking upside-down.  "What are you laughing at, Kemosabe?"

The laughter stopped abruptly.  "What is that?"

"What's what?"

"That word… kemasibi." 

Riley snorted. "Kemosabe.  Dunno.  Tell you what, if I ever meet a Native American again, I'll ask."  She shifted, trying to get comfortable.  They had stopped long ago to rest, but after a bout of restless pacing, Riley had lost the semi-comfortable part of the ground. 

"Haldir?" she said a minute later. 

With a long-suffering sigh, Haldir asked patiently, "Yes, Child?"

A pause….

"Where do baby Elves come from?"

There was a loud choking sound from her right.  She waited until he started stuttering a questioning reply, then waved it off and said, "Aw, don't worry, that wasn't my real question.  I actually wanted to tell you that I can't sleep.  Can we go?"

And so they went.  In fact, they _went_ for a few hours until they reached the heart of Lorien.  However, just before they did….

"This is the song that doesn't end.  Yes, it goes on and on my friends!  Some people started singin' it not knowin' what it was, and they'll continue singin' it forever just because this is the song that doesn't end.  Yes, it goes on and on my friends!  Some people…"

"Child! It is not your voice that causes pain in my head so much as the words you choose to impart."

Riley smiled in mock understanding.  "Would you like me to choose a different song, Kemosabe?"

"I would prefer it if you kept quiet, but if you insist on singing, then yes, please choose a different song."

Riley nodded and pretended to think.  Grinning mischievously, she started in on, "I love you," and draped herself across Haldir's shoulders.  "You love me.  We're a happy family."  She gave Haldir a nice little squeeze… "With a great big hug," she attacked him and hugged him dramatically, "and a kiss from me to you…" Riley dove at him, lips puckered, but Haldir had already leapt away and, in consequence, tripped over a fallen branch and tumbled over backwards.  "Won't you say," Riley sang loudly and off-key, throwing her hands in the air for the grand finale, "you love me tooooo?" 

Haldir stared at her in horror.  Somewhere in the distance, crickets chirped and a wolf howled.  

Riley dropped her hands to her sides and gave Haldir her best look of dismay.  "What?  You don't like Barney?" 

Finally feeling sympathetic towards the poor Elf, Riley reached out and offered a hand to help him get up.  Haldir took this the wrong way entirely, and sprang up, crying, "Away from me, foul creature!"

Riley stopped abruptly, blinking in surprise.  _Okay, that was a bit harsh_.  Trying to lighten the mood, she smiled half-heartedly.  "Come on, Kemosabe… won't you be my neighbor?"

Haldir was less than amused.  "I shall never understand how one such as the Lady of Light would insist that such a repulsive child to come into her presence," he spat. 

Riley flinched at the sudden hostility.  Granted, she knew she deserved it, but still.  "What's with the attitude, Deary Hal?"  Haldir's fingers were twitching as if he wanted to reach for his bow.  Riley fidgeted, picking at the hem of her cloak.  "You're mad at me, aren't you?" she asked unnecessarily. 

"No," Haldir ground out, causing Riley's hopes to raise only to dash them as second later.  "I am _angry_ with you."

Riley rolled her eyes.  "Don't get all technical with me when you knew perfectly well what I meant."

"If you meant so, why did you not speak it?" Haldir asked disdainfully. 

"Because at home everyone talks like that so everyone understands!" Riley exclaimed. 

"And you are compassionless enough to assume that I, who am not from your home, would comprehend?"  Riley faltered for a moment, which was sufficient for Haldir to jump back in.  "How do your company stand you?" 

Riley physically recoiled at that, rudely taken back to her earlier ponderings.  Haldir continued to stare at her, almost waiting for an answer that Riley could not give him.  There was nothing she could say; she didn't know how they put up with her!  

Feeling distinctly uncomfortable, she attempted to change the subject with something that never failed her: annoyingness. 

"Kemosabe? Can we stop? My feet hurt."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll start singing again…"

"We will not stop when we are so close to the end of this wretched journey."

"There's a hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"Do not sing."

"There's a hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"Stop."

"There's a hole; there's a hole; there's a hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"Child, I warn you…."

"There's a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a log; there's a log; there's a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"What is the purpose of this song?" 

"There's a lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a lump; there's a lump; there's a lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"Do you mean to torture me with your mindless babblings?"

"There's a frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a frog; there's a frog; there's a frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"If you wish for the creatures of this wood to find and devour your, by all means, continue."

"There's a fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a fly; there's a fly; there's a fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"Do you wish everyone to think you a fool?"

"There's a wing on the fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a wing on the fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea.  There's a wing; there's a wing; there's a wing on the fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"Will you not stop?"

"There's a flea on the wing on the fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea!  There's a flea on the wing on the fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea!  There's a flea; there's a flea; there's a flea on the wing on the fly on the frog on the lump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea!"

"I truly detest you."

"Thanks for the warning, to annoy you, definitely, I don't imagine Galadriel would be terribly happy with you if you let them, I'm trying to not care what other people think of me, yes, and I love you too, my dear Elfipoo."

Haldir's grimace was apparent, even in the dark, but that was not what he chose to comment on.  "If you do not care what others think of you, how do you expect to know what is acceptable?"   

"Well, you care to a point, but not so much that you only do things that the people you're trying to impress approve of."  Riley could sense Haldir looking at her, and immediately asked, "You don't really hate me, do you?"

"I am well on my way, but no, I merely despise your antics," he answered honestly.

"Okay.  If I didn't tease you and annoy the living gophers out of you, would I still be me?"

"You would be different."  
  


"Right; I'd be a different me.  But what if I stopped irritating you just because you prefer me a different way?  What if I changed who I am every time somebody wants me to be different?  I wouldn't be me anymore; I'd be… everyone else."

All was quiet for a few long moments after that.  Riley seriously hoped she hadn't said something wrong.  Finally Haldir asked, "And are you an expert on such things?"

Riley snorted sadly.  "I should be.  Legolas isn't speaking to me because of it."

The silence suggested that Haldir did not really know how to answer that. 

"The prince of Mirkwood?" he asked hesitantly after a moment. 

"Legolas is, yes."

"He accused you of being false, then."

"Oi.  Yea.  I got defensive even though it was true, and we haven't spoken since."

There was a pause before Haldir pointed out, "You called to him when we met your company at the border."

"Well, yeah… I've had a bad day and not the greatest week before that, and Legolas has always been… he takes care of me, usually."

"There is… an attachment between you then?"

Riley smiled teasingly in Haldir's direction.  "Nosy, aren't you?"

Haldir ignored that comment and delved deeper into Riley's personal soap opera.  "Were you friends?"        

Riley rolled her eyes.  "The best, I suppose.  At least, he was my friend; I'm not so sure I was ever his."

She could practically see the surprise in Haldir's voice.  "He has never called you his friend?  Was my source mistaken when she said you have known each other for years?"

Riley stopped walking at that.  "Your source?"  Haldir didn't reply.  Riley suddenly grew suspicious.  "Who's your source, _Haldir_?"  Again, Haldir didn't say anything.  Riley's eyes narrowed in his direction.  "Have you been talking to Galadriel this whole time?" 

"You are changing the subject, and I applaud your subtlety, but I wish to continue this conversation."

"And I applaud the fact that you changed the subject too!" Riley snapped angrily.  "Who's your source?" 

"Are you friends?"

"Who is your source, _Haldir_?"       

"Are.  You.  _Friends_?"

Riley was very well aware of the fact that she was beginning to tremble with emotion; the extremely long day was beginning to take its toll and fear, anger, frustration, and fatigue were wearing her thin.  "I don't _know_," she finally said, her voice quivering violently.  She clenched her fists, trying to keep from crying.  "_I don't know _anymore."  No matter how hard she tried to push it away, a sob worked its way into her words.  "It used to be so simple.  He was my _friend_.  We went on picnics, and he took pictures of me, and I ran into a tree, and…"

"Do you see how easily you fall into it?  I asked a simple question; why can you not give me a simple answer, and keep your troubles to yourself?  Not all who you meet will be interested in the most intimate details of your life!" 

Riley jumped at the sheer brutality in Haldir's voice.  Was he allowed to be this mean?

"Did you expect me to be so easily moved to sympathy?  You have been nothing but irritating since we met, and I feel nothing but repulsion towards you."

Unconsciously reverting to an old habit, Riley chewed her lower lip and blinked furiously to clear the tears from her eyes.  Haldir had begun walking again.  Riley sniffed and tried desperately to 'suck it up.'  Maybe Haldir, as cold as he was, could help her learn to be unperfect without being the most annoying thing in the world.  He'd certainly been very honest so far, and was not easily swayed by her usually endearing traits. 

Taking a deep breath and forcing her quiet sobs back down into her chest, Riley began to follow Haldir – and ran into a tree. 

"Ow!"

Haldir was chuckling. 

Riley scowled and rubbed her forehead.  _So, he can get over it that fast, huh_?_  Well, watch this_.  "Are we there yet?" she whined. 

"I believe you have the gift of vision."

"I can see fine, thanks, but how am I supposed to know if we're in Lothlorien or not?  It's dark and I've never been there!"

"I congratulate you on getting something correct."

"Thank you…"

"You mistook my sarcasm for sincerity."

"… I'd like to thank all the little people who did the dirty work so that I could get here – Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, that funny fat Hobbit who thinks Gandalf's funny, Bilbo – I wonder how Bilbo's doing…."

"Who do you speak of?"

"Bilbo."

"Who is Bilbo?"

"Bilbo Baggins…"

"I know his name, Child; who is he?"

"He's a Hobbit."

"Is he of any significance to you?"  
  


"You don't know who Bilbo Baggins is?  Well, great jumping cheese-balls, Kemosabe!"

There was silence for a moment. 

"You know, Deary Hal, it's really odd how I can hear you scowling.  I can't see you anymore, but by golly, I sure can hear you.  You've got to be the loudest Elf I've ever met."

"And you are the rudest human I have ever come into contact with."

"Little short on comebacks tonight?"

"As you would say, shut up."

"Ah, you used slang!  Haldir, you have hurt my ears!"

"Shut your mouth, Child."

"… Haldir?"

"What is it?"

"Are we there yet?"

An hour later, the sky began to turn orange.  Riley was trudging along after Haldir, dragging her feet and feeling downright miserable.  Sharp pain flew up from her feet with every step she took, and her back was killing her.  She and Haldir hadn't spoken since the last "are we there yet," and unfortunately, this left Riley with plenty of time to contemplate everything that had happened that day… er… the day before.  

_Look at me_…

Again, the words came to her mind without her trying to think of anything in particular.  This time, though, they came with a tune, and it kept going.  If only she could sing it out lout so she could finish the words….

Maybe she could sing it for Haldir!  Eh, no, Haldir definitely didn't like her too much.  Well, maybe Legolas… no again.  He had to be the one to hear the _finished_ version first.  That left the others in the Fellowship.  Riley pictured asking Gimli's advice on anything serious.  Hmm.  So she was back to Haldir.

"Kemosabe?" she said quietly. 

Haldir did not turn, but acknowledged her with a quick, "Child."

Riley had to force her fingers, which were rapidly fiddling with anything they came into contact with, to stay still, and instead chewed her lip nervously.  Her silence was provoking the Elf, she knew, but for a moment she couldn't get the words out of her mouth.  In the end, she stumbled into them.  "Um, well… would you… I've been kind of, um… I've been kind of, you know, thinking, and… could I, um… could I, like, bounce ideas off of you?  Like… for a song?"  Haldir gave her That Look again.  Riley sighed.  "All right, all right.  I've been thinking about a song that I want to write and I'd like it very much if you would tell me what you think of what I have so far."  She smiled hopefully.

Haldir gazed at her for a moment without expression, and then turned his back on her.  "I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request," he said sharply.  Riley stared, and after a minute, Haldir turned to look at her again.  "Means no," he quipped. 

Riley suddenly threw her hands up in the air and shouted, "Pirates of the Caribbean!  I knew it! You're not Elf; you're an Earthling in disguise, _aren't you_?  Imposter!"  She smacked Haldir over the head.  "Where's the real Haldir?  You're in with Barbossa, aren't you?  You're undead, aren't you?  Unholy!" she cried, giving Haldir, who was still reeling from the surprise of the first smack, a good hard thwack on the forehead.  She positioned her hands for a catfight, raised one to start it, and found both her wrists caught in a vise-like grip.  "Oh," Riley said with a nervous chuckle.  "Heh.  Hey, Neighbor.  Guess you're an Elf after all, eh?"  Haldir just kept looking at her as if he wondered how she could have survived being as stupid as she was.  Riley tried to look hopeful as she asked, "Could I run that song by you now?"  She didn't feel terribly optimistic. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Nine (count 'em, NINE) pages! That's my longest chapter in a while… wish it took you guys as long to read it as it takes me to write it. 

Since I'm not allowed to put up author notes as chapters anymore (ff.net's new rule, don't ya know), I'm going to go ahead and give you the heads up now… **JANUARY 21, 2004!** That is the deadline for the fan art contest! If you're not likely to remember on your own, please let me know and I'll send you an email a week ahead of time. I'm also adding a story to the list you can choose to draw from. It is down a bit farther on the page under 'shameless self-promotion.' If all goes according to plan, I'll update a couple days later with the results… I might even put up a temporary website so everyone can view the art that was sent in! Remember, the winner gets a preview of a very special scene between Leaf and Elfin Child!

**Recommended story:** _Swept Away_ by CocoBeans (it's LotR and FUNNY as spit!)

**Shameless Self-Promotion** (and another story that you can draw fan art from)**:** The next story in a series called The Traveler! I originally planned to have one character that traveled through many stories, but I was twelve and stupid and did not realize that having said-character fall in love with at least one person from every story (and sometimes it was the same story, but different generations, which was weird… Star Wars… Obi-Wan… and then a character named Zekk who was Han and Leia's daughter's best friend…) would not be good for said-character's reputation. So, the series idea was thrown out until a few days ago when I got a brilliant idea and began writing _The Traveler – The Marauders_. It's been up for a week and already has 24 reviews! Please go and read it… especially if you're a Harry Potter fan. Don't worry, I'm not letting this story fall by the wayside!

**MERRY CHRISTMAS AGAIN!**

Don't forget – if you want an email when I update, let me know! If you asked last time in your review and didn't get an email, I am SO SORRY! Please let me know again! I changed my email, btw, so I could have an empty inbox. The new one is elfin_child_lotr@yahoo.com . This doesn't apply to betas or people I am already corresponding with. 

**MERRY CHRISTMAS AGAIN AGAIN!!!!!!!**

And now, review, or I'll be forced to… not know you read this chapter! Yeah….


	34. Commercials

Warning: there is very little adding to the story in this chapter.  
  
I'm sorry that it's taking so long, but what with school starting up again and shoveling snow out of the driveway and all, I haven't had time to do much with 'Traveler' this month. A chapter will be up shortly, I promise, but it's one of the more tricky ones and is taking me a while... I wanted to update now because I promised you all to remind you about the Fan Art Contest!  
  
Deadline is coming up... it's only one week away! Don't forget to have all your entries in by the end of January 21, 2004.  
  
Be sure to tell me your penname, what part or what character in whichever story it is, and let me know if you're open to letting me post your art on a temporary website that I plan to put up for display purposes.  
  
By the way, I just noticed that posting links on ff.net doesn't work, so you didn't have anything to refer to on art. I'll spell it all out so you actually know where to go this time. One website is http:www. tinaling.ca /mwppmap/ and then there was http:www. sugarquill. net/index. php? action= profile& id= 260 . Just take out the spaces and you have the links, k? Hope that helps!  
  
Sound good? Good! Now, for, basically... a few commercials. This'll be fun, eh?  
  
Frodo: rubs his red, itchy eyes Oh, Sam, my eyes are so very dry....  
  
Sauron: pops up next to Frodo and says in Ben Stein voice For red, dry eyes, try Clear Eyes!  
  
Sam: Oh, so is that why your... coughone eye is so... red?  
  
- courtesy of Arch of Wand  
  
Legolas, Aragorn, Merry & Pippin are all sitting around a table in a restaurant when suddenly Aragorn's cell phone rings. Duck is all that appears on the screen. He glances at Pippin who has a slightly mischievous look on his face. Next is Legolas' phone. Again Duck appears. Seconds later Merry's phone rings but this time Goose appears. He looks to Pippin and they both take off running around the table.  
  
- courtesy of MethosMacLeod ... welcome back!  
  
Merry and Pippin are sitting at a table in Taco Bell with crunchy tacos poised in front of their mouths. Taco wrappers (four for Pippin) litter the table. Suddenly, they start thumping their elbows on the table... THUMP THUMP... they then take a bite of their tacos... CRUNCH. THUMP THUMP CRUNCH  
  
THUMP THUMP CRUNCH  
  
THUMP THUMP CRUNCH  
  
Merry and Pippin: WE WILL, WILL WILL...  
  
Two grapes hit Merry and Pippin on their foreheads. Pippin looks up at the sky, only to see Riley and Boromir sitting on top of the lights, ready to throw more grapes if the Hobbits start singing again  
  
Haldir: ops up behind Merry and Pippin and gives them his patented Holier Than Thou glare Stop doing that!  
  
A lone grape smacks Haldir on the head  
  
- courtesy of me and Arch of Wand  
  
The feature story "The Traveler – The Lord of the Rings" will return after this.  
  
(whispers Feel free to review!) 


	35. A Mirror and Fifi

FAN ART CONTEST RESULTS: Congratulations to Morgaine of Ithil, the winner of the fan art contest! You can all see her piece on my website (link's in my bio). A/N: Want to hear my excuses? I have a million and a half of them… I won't bore you to death, but the basic gist of it is: two papers, nine exams, high school graduation (yey, go me!), job hunt, college, friend's 18th birthday, and summer-trip-to-California-without-adults-excepting-the-friend-that-just-turned-18 planning. Yeah. 

Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, especially **"innocent elven chick,"** who got me out of my I'm-so-depressed-I-haven't-updated-in-forever mood and made me finish the chapter. 

It's a short chapter, and I think it's pointless (Risa doesn't), but here it is. I have a really good head start on the next one, so I predict you'll have another chapter by the end of the week. 

Thanks to my betas, **Arch of Wand**,** Hathor**, **and Tsumi**. By the way, Hathor suggested the female Elf's name. Heh heh. *grin*

Without further ado, the chapter!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chapter Twenty-Six – A Mirror and Fifi 

"Jingle presents," Riley sang quietly, too tired to do anything but follow Haldir and sing mindlessly. She wasn't even doing it to bug Haldir anymore; she didn't particularly _have_ a reason for doing it at all. "Beat the pheasants," she continued, not noticing when Haldir gave her The Look, "Reindeer tastes like spam. Beat the Elf," Haldir's steps faltered, "Engorge yourself, and ambush Santa's van. Hey!" she finished half-heartedly. 

After this much walking, you'd think that they'd be there by now. Maybe Haldir was lost. Or he could be leading her around in circles just because he was mean. 

As much as she wanted to continue the conversation with herself, Riley was dead on her feet and she knew it. What's more, she couldn't quite recall her own name, much less rant about some stupid Elf who had a serious vendetta against anything silly.

He _was_ prettiful, though…

A corner of her mouth curled upwards in as much of a smile as she could muster. 

"Here it is," Haldir said, and it took Riley a moment to realize that he had stopped walking and that the funny noise in front of her was coming from him. "Caras Galadhon, the heart of Elvendom on Middle-Earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn, and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." Riley couldn't help but note the measure of pride in his voice.  

"Hannon le, Haldir o Lorien," she murmured quietly. 

Haldir nodded. "Creoso," he said shortly.  He glanced back at her almost sympathetically. "Come," he said, "it is not far now."

_To me or to you_? Riley thought. Nevertheless, she put one foot in front of the other and followed the Elf as he began to climb down the hill. 

Afterwards, Riley was at a loss for how long it had taken them to reach the center of Lothlorien, and what happened when she got there. The last thing she remembered was following Haldir down the hill, and then she woke up with her face pressed into a pillow and a female Elf bent over her, nudging her shoulder. 

Riley squinted and yawned. The female Elf straightened and smoothed the front of her dress. "The Lady Galadriel wishes to speak with you, child. You may bathe behind those curtains, and there will be clothing laid out for you. Call me if you require assistance."

Riley blinked as the Elf left the room. _What_? If Galadriel wanted to talk to her, shouldn't she go now? And… 

_What the_… Riley lifted her head from the pillow so quickly her head spun. How long had she been asleep? Was the Fellowship there yet? How did she get here? Where'd Haldir go? _How did Harry Potter's mom and dad get together_?

"Ahh," Riley groaned, collapsing into her pillows once more. They smelled like the forest – clean and woody, with a hint of rain… they smelled like Legolas!

Riley shot up. She had to see the Fellowship! She had to comfort Frodo, reassure Boromir, steal food from Pippin, listen patiently to Sam's song about Gandalf's fireworks, pat Gimli on the helmet, joke with Merry, smile at Aragorn… and apologize to Legolas! 

Wow… that was a lot to do. 

Wait… _bathe_? Riley froze. She could take a _bath_?

Riley fell sideward out of the bed, then tripped again as she tried to scramble to her feet (the sheets were tangled around her legs). By the time she actually made it across the room, she'd fallen four times and run into things twice. She pulled back the curtains and stared. Standing in the corner was a large, steaming tub of clear, beautiful water. 

*          *          *

Only after the water lost every trace of warmth did she manage to drag herself out of the tub and wrap herself in a light robe that was waiting for her. Her muscles were sore, but she was clean and that made her feel a thousand times better than last night. Er… this morning. Or whenever it was. Maybe she should ask Elf What's-Her-Face how long she'd been asleep. 

Then again, maybe not. Elves in these parts – ones who didn't see humans all that often – were characteristically grumpy when inconvenienced. Or just grumpy anyways. Haldir was the perfect example if you ignored looking at matters from his point of view.  That made Riley feel bad.  She provoked him, and she was sure other humans, though probably not as impertinent, had done the same. 

Riley winced as she stretched an arm out to move the curtains.  A sharp pain reminded her abruptly that only yesterday, she'd been a thin metal away from being stabbed through the heart.  She gently pealed the robe away from her skin and examined the area on her chest.  She'd never seen such a bruise; it was brown and black and blue and purple and yellow and green all at the same time.  Riley gingerly tested the area around it, but found that even that was tender to the touch.  What had Aragorn done about Frodo's bruise in the book?  Undoubtedly something to do with athelas, as that was one thing that kept popping up everywhere. 

Slipping the robe back up over her shoulders, Riley stepped around the curtains.  As the Elf had said, there was a dress laid out on the bed, which had mysteriously been made.  Instead of dressing right away, Riley wandered around her room.  The first thing she discovered was a sight for sore eyes – a mirror.  Riley, in lieu of checking her reflection (as had been her habit nearly two years ago), gazed at the intricate silver swirls around the mirror's edges.  She had slowly come to appreciate the beauty in any of the craftsmanship in Middle-Earth… because it was all hand-made.  Someone had taken the time to curl the metal here, and loop it there, and even work it into the shape of a leaf in a few places.  _Wouldn't that mirror look out of place in my Manhattan apartment_, Riley thought, amused.  It looked as if it belonged… well, in Lothlorien. 

Finally, Riley turned her eyes towards her reflection.  

She'd forgotten.

She'd forgotten the texture of her skin and the multitude of colors in her hair.  She'd forgotten the way her nose turned daintily upwards at the end, and the way her eyes changed colors with her clothes, mood, and position in light.  She'd forgotten about the chicken pox scar above her right eyebrow, and the permanent freckle on top of her nose.  She'd forgotten that her hair curled when it was wet, and she'd forgotten that one of her earlobes was smaller than the other one. 

Looking at herself now, she seemed very small.  Her arms were skinny; they always had been, but her right arm had a bit more muscle because of all the archery.  Her hands seemed tinier than she remembered….

Yet there she was.  After not seeing her own reflection for so long, she saw that that person in the mirror _was_ pretty.  Was that really _her_?

Riley raised a hand and watched, fascinated, as the mirror showed it happening.  It was so… _foreign_. 

"Look at me," she sang quietly, twisting her hand slowly.  Suddenly, she felt both bravery and inspiration strike, and she rushed to get dressed, all the while singing the song that she was hoping to pull together. 

The dress that had been laid out for her was made of a thin, silver material that shimmered in the light.  Riley handled it with care, and gently slipped it over her head.  Excepting that… _thing_ that Adriel had tried to make her wear (which was another story all in itself), she had never felt so naked while wearing clothes.  It might have been because she'd spent the last month or two cooped up in what was technically men's clothing, or it might have been the thin material.  Whatever it was, it felt as if she were wearing nothing, yet the coolness of the air never touched her. 

Stupid Elvish perfectness again. 

Riley jumped when someone knocked on the door.  For a moment, she found it disconcerting to even _have_ a door.  Whoever it was knocked again, and Riley started.  Why hadn't she noticed what a disturbing sound that was? 

Riley snatched a dirty letter out of her pack beside the mirror, and then reluctantly moved away from the mirror to answer the door.  It was the same female Elf as before, and her lips were pinched together impatiently.  An eyebrow twitched and cool eyes drifted over Riley as she opened the door.  Riley eyed her back uncertainly, and then stuck out a hand.  "I'm Riley," she said cheerfully.

The Elf glanced at her hand, and then turned and began to walk away.  "My Lady awaits you," she said over her shoulder. 

Riley sighed and pulled the door closed behind her, rubbing her hand self-consciously on her side as she followed the Elf. 

"My lady," Riley began politely, but her guide cut her off. 

"You are not to address me as 'my lady.'  That title is reserved for the Lady Galadriel."

_Okay_…. "Then what am I to call you?"

The Elf glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.  "You have no need to address me," she said simply.

Riley's eyes narrowed.  "What if I have a question?"

"You will find an answer for yourself or take the matter up with one of the maidens."

Riley blinked, gave up, and turned her attention to memorizing the path from her room to… wherever they were going.  It had become a well-known fact in Rivendell that she got lost easily.  After a while the inhabitants of the Last Homely House learned to give her directions whenever they saw her, whether she was lost or not.  Lothlorien would most likely be a different matter, especially if the rest of the Elves here were like this Elf. 

"Has the Fellowship arrived?" Riley asked quietly, trying very hard to not provoke the Elf. 

"They have not," came the monotone answer. 

Riley chewed her lip for a moment and then asked, "How is that I can understand you?"

The Elf gave an inaudible sigh.  "Most Elves spend much of the beginning of our lives studying the history of our people.  Naturally, Men do come into play on occasion."

"Ah," Riley observed obediently, but added, "but what I meant to say was that… where I come from, we do not speak Westron, so I do not understand how I hear my language when you speak."

"I cannot tell you that," the Elf replied. 

Riley clamped her lips together and rolled her eyes exasperatedly, officially giving up on the conversation.  She instead turned her attention to her new surroundings.  Most places in Middle-Earth were beautiful, so it didn't come as a big surprise that Lothlorien was beautiful as well.  However, Lothlorien was a much different kind of beautiful.  When she read about it for the first time, she had pictured a beautiful, sunny forest where elegant Elves lived in and around trees.  Watching "Lord of the Rings" had forever destroyed that image in her mind.  After that, Lothlorien had become a land of massive trees that filtered down eerie blue light.  The Elves were sparse and the entire feel was ominous. 

Lothlorien was more like her first vision.  It was sunny, not blue, and Elves were everywhere, but quiet.  It was, in fact, too quiet, and gave her a terrible itch to yell.  

By the time they reached wherever they were going, Riley was turned around, upside-down, and completely lost.  This, unfortunately, made her even more nervous.  

Riley jumped when her guide spoke.  "Follow the stairs.  I would suggest that you be respectful."

Riley looked doubtfully down at the next landing, where the stairs split in two and wound away from each other.  "Do both stairs reach the same destination?" she asked hesitantly.

"They do not."

Riley blinked and stared at her.  "Which stairs am I to follow, then?"

The Elf gave her an incredulous look before starting down the stairs.  Riley scrambled to keep up with her, and wished fervently that yesterday's adventures had improved her skills at stair climbing.  It was almost too much to hope that she would go two days in a row without tripping or – heaven forbid – falling. 

"Why won't you tell me your name?" Riley questioned cautiously.

The Elf spared her a glance before reaching the bottom of the stairs and motioning towards an archway.  

Riley hadn't taken two steps toward the arch when a soft voice floated out from behind it.  "Thank you, Fifi.  You may leave now."

The Elvish guide bowed briefly, cast an annoyed look at Riley, and strode away.  Riley smirked at her back, thoroughly glad to be rid of her, and called, "Yes, thank you, _Fifi_."  The Elf's shoulders tensed, and Riley chuckled.  

"Come here, child," the voice called again.  It sent powerful waves of reassurance through Riley as she obeyed and walked through the arch.  

There, just as Riley remembered her, was the Lady of Light herself. 

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Review, and I'll have the next chapter up within a couple days! No, really… I wrote a TON at church today when I was bored out of my skull. My youth pastor tried to be a shepherd and he sounded like a hick. 

Remember, if you want an email when I update, leave your email address (and a request to be informed) in your review!


	36. Discussions I Cannot Escape

A/N: This is a couple days late, but it's still here. Yey! 

By the way, I got a job at a bakery (and start tomorrow at 5:30 AM… gak!), and I also got accepted to the university I want to go to! TRINITY WESTERN, HERE I COME! WOOHOO! *pelts everyone with confetti*

I'm sorry if this chapter seems a bit off or choppy… I wrote over half of it when I was braindead late at night.  Risa, however, seems to think that I should do _more_ writing when I'm totally out of it. Hm…

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**Chapter Twenty-Seven – Discussions I Cannot Escape**

Riley shifted nervously from foot to foot while she waited for Galadriel to speak.  Was she supposed to speak?  The Lady was just staring at her calmly.  Riley hesitantly raised her eyes to gaze back, shakily acknowledging the silence. 

Slowly, the Lady of Light's mouth turned up at the corners and the intensity of her gaze softened.  "Much is to be seen before a sound is made," she said quietly.  "Looking me in the eye immediately would have been presumptuous on your part.  Yet you hesitated.  Why would one with such a presuming nature, such as yourself, do so?"

Riley blinked at first, unsure of how to respond.  "My Lady…" she began slowly, "… Galadriel… you are one with great power.  I was not… I did not now how to approach you."

The Lady smiled indulgently.  "You, who have traveled between worlds, deign to call yourself unworthy.  That shows wisdom."

"But I am far from wise," Riley pointed out.

"Yet, as even the wise cannot see all ends, are they who see all ends wise?"

_Was she supposed to answer this_?

The Lady smiled slowly and motioned to a low rock wall.  What Riley saw there made her fingers itch, her mouth water, and her stomach growl.  Breads and cheeses, spreads, fruit, and thin slices of meat decorated the shelf.  A pitcher of wine stood just behind two sparkling goblets.  Riley suddenly realized that she was leaning so far towards the makeshift table that she was on her toes. 

"Come, eat," Galadriel said.  "You must be hungry."

Riley forced herself to take small steps and act as calmly as possible.  She and Galadriel seated themselves on either side of the picnic.  Riley took miniscule portions of everything, for she knew that even if she was hungry, the portions allotted to the Fellowship as she grew near Moria had only been enough to keep them from starving.  Their supplies had been dwindling. 

"Has the Fellowship arrived, my Lady?" Riley asked as she took a cluster of grapes (which she planned to eat with her hands… _not_ throw at Galadriel).

"No," the Lady answered.  "There is much to be done once they do, and I wished to speak with you.  Your friends shall arrive later this day."

Riley nodded and took a sip out of her goblet.  "Oh!" she exclaimed, reaching into a pocket in her gown.  "Lord Elrond sent this to you," she said, pulling out a battered, folded parchment.  She winced at its condition as she handed it to Galadriel.  "It's a bit worse for the wear, but I imagine it's still legible."  With that, she went back to eating, though she kept an anxious eye on the Lady while she read.  

When she had finished the letter, Galadriel folded it and set it next to her goblet.  "It is well that he wrote to me, else I would not have known your name."

"I thought you had foreseen my coming," Riley said, confused. 

Galadriel smiled again.  "I did.  I saw you coming, and I saw your eyes, but not much else."

Riley nodded, pretending to understand completely.  "Arwen found the prophecy in a book in Rivendell.  That was years ago."

A light sparked in the Lady's eyes.  "And how is my granddaughter?" she asked. 

Riley grinned.  "In love," she gossiped.  "Elrond doesn't approve, I think, but that hasn't stopped her.  She was devastated when Aragorn left with the Fellowship.  She knows there's danger, and I'm not allowed to tell her anything, so I think that makes it more difficult on her."

"Who has given you this restraint?" Galadriel asked, a frown creasing her brow. 

Riley looked up from her plate.  "What?"

"You said you are not _allowed_ to reveal anything.  Why?"

Now Riley was confused.  _What_?  "I… I-I," she stuttered.  She paused and pursed her lips, frowning.  "I… I would… _change_ something," she said slowly. 

"And who is to say that that is not why you have come to this world, Riley?" Galadriel said softly. 

Riley blinked.  "I can't _change_ things."

Galadriel's thoughtful frown turned into a smile again.  "Well.  I ask that you keep the option open.  In my opinion, you are here for something more subtle."

Riley waited anxiously for her to continue, and when she didn't, asked, "What would that be?"

Instead of answering her directly, Galadriel turned her gaze to a patch of flowers that wound their way along the arch, which Riley had come through previously.  "Do you see those flowers?" the Lady asked.  Riley nodded.  "What purpose do you suppose they have?"

Second grade science came to mind, and Riley replied, "They give us air; they allow us to breathe."

"And yet there are thousands of plainer plants which do the same, are there not, Child?"

Riley pressed her lips together and studied the flowers.  The petals were white at the tips, and only turned rosy once they reached the center of the flower – the heart.  "They are beautiful," she murmured off-handedly. 

"Therein lies the purpose."  Galadriel stood and made her way to the arch.  Reaching up, she plucked a flower from the vine and brought it down to meet her eyes.  "Some would say that all a flower lives for is to bring us life; to, as you said, allow us to breathe.  Perhaps if there were no flowers, we would cease to live."

"But that's not true," Riley said.  "Without flowers, the world would be fine."

"And without your Traveling, Riley, your world would continue to go 'round," Galadriel said, smiling.  That smile of hers was both comforting and irritating.  It ensured you that she knew all, whether she was telling you or not.  It made you want to trust her, but made you wonder why you should.  It seemed the very fountain from which all her wisdom sprung.  Oh, how Riley hated That Smile. 

"I don't understand," Riley admitted impatiently, frowning at the Elf again.

The Smile twitched.  "A flower's only claim on purpose is its beauty.  Beauty is not necessary, but it is _vital_.  Can you understand the difference?"

"From your voice, yes.  Vital as in color, interest."

"And what is life without vitality?  What is life without faith, without trust in the unseen?"

Riley nodded, but continued frowning.  She agreed about all that stuff about beauty and all, but wasn't this supposed to be when she got her answer?  This was supposed to be about _her_.

Galadriel seemed to sense this and the smile grew.  "Perhaps I should let you think about this on your own, Riley."

_I beg to differ_, Riley exclaimed to herself in disbelief.  _I'm supposed to get answers, not more questions_!_  And think of the poor readers_! _ If anyone ever reads this story, they'll be annoyed beyond belief_!

"The Fellowship will be arriving within the hour.  I hope you will greet them with Lord Celeborn and myself."

Riley nodded dumbly.  

Galadriel came back and stood before her.  She leaned down, tucked the flower she was holding behind Riley's ear, and smiled.  "It is no wonder that you have captured his heart," she said softly. 

Riley's mind raced.  "Boromir?" she asked.  How did she know about that?

Galadriel gave her the same amused look that she would later give Sam when he asked for "one of those nice, shiny daggers," and then stood up straight again.  "You will forgive me for assigning you the same guide, Riley.  Fifi is what you would call 'higher up' in our system of hierarchy.  She is more accustomed to being waited on than waiting on others.  Unfortunately, the maidens that serve the house you are staying in were away for the morning.  I hope you understand."

Riley had to snicker at the name.  What had Fifi's mother been _thinking_?  "People in my world usually name snotty dogs Fifi," she impulsively told Galadriel.  She really hadn't meant to, but it was one of those things that just pops out of you…

… at the most improper times, it seemed, since Fifi was standing under the arch, giving Riley a very indignant look.  Riley looked away and rubbed her arm uncomfortably.  Even Galadriel looked at her sternly.  Riley didn't get the impression that this would be a good time to mention the innumerable Galadriels, Frodos, and Legolases that she'd seen (all dogs as well).  "Sorry," she whispered to herself.

The walk back to her rooms was one in which Riley wisely held her tongue.  She instead began to honestly wonder where Haldir had got off to.  To tell the truth, she didn't particularly care, but his simply up and disappearing made her curious.  Was he somewhere torturing small children and fuzzy animals, or doing something boring like whittling?  The thought of the graceful Elf sitting on a stool outside his house whittling nearly sent Riley into hysterics.  It had been too long since she had been able to truly laugh….

Two Elf maidens were waiting for her when Fifi finally brought Riley to her room.  Riley eyed them uncertainly, for they looked suspiciously like medieval make-up artists, and Riley had never felt very kindly towards the make-up artists that she had met.  

Without a word, Fifi turned around and left.  Riley gazed after her for a moment, blinking.  Slowly, she turned back to the maidens and gave them a little half-smile.  "Hi," she said.  Yup, make-up artists they were.  Riley skirted around the maidens, eyeing them warily, and went into her room.  Halfway across the floor, she remembered to shut the door and turned around… and jumped.  The maidens were standing directly behind her.  She stepped back… and they stepped forward. 

_Why does this remind me of a horror movie?  What are they going to do now_, Riley thought to herself, _reveal their master plan before eating me alive?_  The thought was amusing, but the Elves did not seem to understand the random chuckling.  Instead, they exchanged a look and one broke away from the other and moved behind Riley, who watched her cautiously. 

Before Riley knew it, they had maneuvered her into sitting on a cushioned stool while they hovered around her with hairbrushes and other odd-looking tools that Riley didn't recognize.  The attack was swift and incapacitating.  Riley's hair was brushed and combed thoroughly.  It was pulled this way and that as the maidens decided (with words that Riley couldn't understand) what to do with it.  At one point, Riley was chewing her dry lips when one of the maidens tapped her on the shoulder and handed her a small round box.  She opened it to find the ugliest looking goop she had ever seen.

"Eh… Tweedle Dee?" she called.  The maiden could obviously not understand her, but realized that she was being called nonetheless.  "What do I do with this?" Riley asked, showing her the goop.

The Elf pointed to the goop and then to her own lips. 

Riley blinked.  "You mean it's ancient chapstick?" she asked incredulously. 

The Elven maiden shrugged and went back to playing with Riley's hair.  Riley examined the goop again and prayed that she had interpreted the Elf's motions correctly.

Not long afterward, Riley was led to a central landing high up in a monstrous tree.  Galadriel awaited her. 

"They are near at hand," the Lady informed her, a small smile playing at her lips.  Her eyes drifted up to the thin silver circlet that the maidens had insisted Riley wear.  "It suits you," she commented. 

Riley reached up to touch the circlet.  She had been annoyed when the maidens had not allowed her to remove it.  Every time she did, they snatched it out of her hands, set it on her head again, and chattered at her in a language that she knew next to nothing about.  The silver next to her hair made it look like a crown… it made her look like the royalty that she was not.  

"Galadriel, hein teli," came a soft, rolling voice from behind Galadriel.  A moment later, Lord Celeborn came out on the landing.  

Riley offered a timid smile when his gaze turned to her.  "Suilad," she murmured, recalling Legolas greeting everyone in Rivendell with that.  It had to mean something pleasant, right?

Celeborn gave her a tight smile.  "I am told there are fewer in your party than set out from Rivendell." 

Riley was about to explain that when Galadriel cocked her head and said quietly, "Hein teli."

Loathe to break the silent mood, Riley whispered curiously, "What does that mean?"

Galadriel smiled.  "They come."

_Oh_.  Riley self-consciously rubbed her lips together.  Thank God for Elvish lip balm. 

Celeborn offered his arm to Galadriel and together they descended the steps to greet the Fellowship.  _Wait for a moment, Child_, echoed in Riley's head. 

So, she stayed just out of sight and forced herself to recall the bitter pain of losing Gandalf.  By doing so, she brought back a strong sense of depression.  She suddenly recalled that the friend she was most anxious to greet no longer saw her in a favorable light… as he, perhaps, never had.  Yet it wasn't _about_ her.  It never should have been.  Coming into a world you were not meant to be in may have been remarkable, but what of this war?  Nothing that she had yet encountered had caused as much worry as it should have.  For all Frodo knew, he was marching to his death!  When had she become so focused on herself?

_You may join us_. 

Riley shook her head and backed away.  It had just hit her.  _Boromir_.  How far away was she from losing one of her best friends?  Oh, Boromir!  How long till she would watch a loved one _die_?  

_Come now, Riley_.

Squaring her shoulders and relying on years of practice to hide her sudden panic, Riley mimicked an Elf's smooth movements and walked down the stairs behind Celeborn and Galadriel. 

More than a few of the Fellowship stared at her in shock.  Riley forced herself to take deep, slow breaths.  Her mind was worriedly rambling.  _What?  Why are they looking at me like that?  What's the matter?  Is there something wrong?  What is it?_

Several exclamations of  "Riley!" rang in the silence.  Riley looked fondly down at the little Hobbits.  They were dirty and tired… so different from home.  Her gaze drifted up to meet the eyes of Legolas; she immediately looked away, her insides squirming.  

Another "Riley!" distracted her from the uncomfortable feeling of being watched.  She looked up and grinned in relief at Boromir, who was hurrying towards her.  Riley passed the two Elves on the stairs and wrapped her arms around the warrior's neck, allowing him to pick her up off her feet. 

In the middle of a very serious moment, Riley's quirkiness chose to resurface.  _Geez, he smells_, she thought, and grinned even more.  Good ol' Boromir.  

"Oh," Boromir laughed, setting her back on her feet, but unwilling to let go of her completely.  "I am making you dirty."  He examined her dress, eyes glinting at her happily.

It made Riley want to cry.  If he had asked to be anything more than a friend at that moment, she would have laughed and said yes.  

There was no time to that however.  _Go and join your company, Child_, Galadriel's voice floated through her mind, and Riley guided Boromir back to the Fellowship. 

Celeborn waited until all had focused on him again and then brought up a touchy subject.  "Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him."  Riley avoided looking at anyone. 

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land.  He has fallen into shadow," Galadriel said, pain lacing her words. 

_Falling into shadow doesn't mean that he's dead, just remember that_, Riley reminded herself.

"He was taken by both shadow and flame," Legolas said quietly.  "A Balrog of Morgoth.  For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

_His gaze turned to you for a moment, Child.  What does he speak of besides Mithrandir?_

Riley shrugged slightly.

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life," Galadriel reprimanded gently.  "We do not yet know his full purpose."  There was a small pause as she turned to Gimli.  "Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dum fill your heart, Gimli, son of Gloin.  For the world has grown full of peril and in all lands love is now mingled with grief."

Celeborn spoke up again, "What now becomes of this Fellowship?  Without Gandalf, hope is lost."

"No, it's not," Riley said softly, willingly meeting Celeborn's eye.  

"Yet the quest stands on the edge of a knife," Galadriel added.  Riley ran a hand down Boromir's arm and gripped his hand tightly.  "Stray but a little, and it will fail to the ruin of all."  Boromir's hand twitched and, out of the corner of her eye, Riley saw him duck his head, trembling.  She squeezed his hand even more tightly.  "Yet hope remains while the Company is true."  Riley smiled a bit at that – nice little Sam.  "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Go now and rest, for you are weary with sorrow and much toil.  Tonight, you will sleep in peace."

_One who has seen the Eye, right, Galadriel?_  Riley finished silently for her.  Her mouth quirked into a small smile and she finally looked away from the two Elves on the stairs… to see Haldir!

He looked back at her at about the same moment, and while her smile was not carefree in the least, Riley still smiled at him with a look that assured him that she was going to get him again at some point. 

_Child_.  Riley turned back to look expectantly at Galadriel.  _Do not follow Frodo tonight.  We shall have much time to speak together in days to come._

_Does that mean I have to stay here when my friends leave?_ Riley thought back fiercely. 

Galadriel simply smiled at her and turned to walk up the stairs. 

"Riley."  Boromir touched her shoulder.  She turned her attention back to him to find that Haldir was just leaving to lead them to their camp.  Riley smiled briefly at Boromir and began to follow.  

Boromir walked beside her and took her hand in one of his own.

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Review please!


	37. A Bit of Hope

**A/N**: You want some very good excuses for the totally apycray chapter? Well:

- My so-called "best friends" spontaneously combusted and were replaced by Crappezoids.

- Quit one job, got another.

- My dad lost his job.

- University registration (nightmare)

- Was visited by Peter Pan, who claimed that if I ran away to Neverland, I would never have to worry about grown-up things again. Discovered that never is an awfully long time when you're in paradise with a twelve-year-old boy who has yet to discover girls, and who _also_ does not plan on getting any older. Left said little twerp for my writing. Hope you appreciate my sacrifice.

**Word of the day:** Lonely: _without companions_, lone; characterized by _aloneness_, _solitary_; unfrequented by people, desolate; _dejected_ by the awareness of being _alone_; _producing such dejection_.

There was a teeny little tribute to **Hathor**'s recent adventures in this chapter… but I can't figure out where the frickin' thing went. Oh well… something to do with a life-size cutout named Miranda.

Thanks go **Risa** and **Hathor** for beta-ing!

GO **RISA**! Cheating to be the one thousandth reviewer… snorts in amusement I'm so proud… this chapter, therefore, sucky as it is, is dedicated to RISA (who is _never_ allowed to turn into a Crappezoid)!

**Chapter Twenty-Eight – A Bit of Hope**

It is a strange fact of life that being in the midst of friends can make you comfortable in the oddest of situations. With the Fellowship (minus Gandalf) all together again, some of the burdens of the group lifted away and created a relaxing atmosphere.

Not all could bring themselves to accept comfort, however. Boromir, for one, was crushing Riley's hand in his. She couldn't bring herself to wound his machoness by telling him that her hand had long ago gone numb, and he kept stepping on her dress. It made her feel better to know that, even if she was dressed up and playing heroine, she was still _her_. She was beginning to understand who Legolas wanted her to be.

The Fellowship was quiet. Perhaps they were trying to take in everything that had happened to them in the course of the last few days. At any rate, whatever it was irked Riley to no end. Pursing her lips, she suddenly stated in a very matter-of-fact voice, "Once there was an elephant who tried to use the telephant." Merry and Pippin turned around curiously, Sam looked over his shoulder in hopes of hearing about an Oliphant, and Haldir tensed (which was what she was really waiting for – motivation, and all that), so Riley continued, "Oh, no, I mean the elephone who tried to use the telephone." She paused and gave Merry and Pippin a worried look. "Dear me, I'm not certain quite that even now I've got it right." Boromir began to relax his grip on her hand. "However it was, he got his trunk entangled in the telephunk. The more he tried to get it free, the louder buzzed the telefee." Even Frodo began to smile a bit. Riley shrugged, looking exasperatedly up to the top of the trees. "I fear I'd better drop this song of elephop and telephong."

"Is that a song from your world?" Pippin asked, walking carefully backwards down the stairs to talk to Riley.

Riley did her best to imitate a Galadriel smile. "It is, though not usually put to music." She gave Boromir's hand a reassuring squeeze, and then left him and moved further up the line until she reached Aragorn. Quietly, she murmured, "Mellon nin, how do you say 'archer' in Sindarin?"

Aragorn gave her an odd look before replying, "Cuar."

"Thanks." With that, Riley sauntered up to Haldir. "Cuar o Lorien, may I ask you something?"

"No," the Elf said shortly.

Riley rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. "Aragorn," she called behind her, "how do you say 'coward?'"

"What is it?" Haldir snapped.

"How long is the Fellowship to stay here?"

Haldir eyed her. "I would suspect many weeks."

Riley nodded. That would give them time to rest… and for her to work up the courage to apologize to Legolas. Relieved, she glanced mischievously at Haldir out of the corner of her eye. "Haldir?"

With a long-suffering sigh, Haldir asked, "What is it?"

Riley pressed her lips together, made her eyes go innocently wide, and questioned, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"

"A woodchuck could chuck lots of wood if a woodchuck could chuck wood."

Riley stopped in surprise, causing Pippin and Merry to run into her and cause a five-being pile up. "You really _have_ been to my world!" she cried accusingly.

It was Haldir's turn to roll his eyes. "I have not been to your world, nor will I ever, Edainme."

Riley narrowed her eyes playfully. "I thought I was 'Edain' or 'foul creature.'"

Haldir turned and looked at her icily. "And I thought that you were trying to better yourself."

The smile faded from her lips as Riley suddenly remembered everyone behind her. Her hands fell limply to her sides and she began walking again, this time silently. She caught herself just as she was looking over her shoulder at Legolas, hoping against hope that his opinion of her had not been further tarnished. _He's got to think I'm pathetic_, she thought mournfully to herself.

And suddenly, the sleep she had had earlier that day was not enough. She felt infinitely older than she ever had, and this feeling trickled down into her feet and made walking seem a burdensome chore. Nevertheless, she could not bear to stay with her friends a moment longer, so she lifted her skirts and, without warning, brushed past Haldir and raced down the last few steps. She ran without the slightest idea of where she was. Tears began to blur her vision and stream down her cheeks. Running, she discovered that day, was an excellent way to exhaust yourself into draining all anger away.

She did not know how long she ran, but when she finally stopped, it was only because she had come to the bank of a river. She sank to the ground, heart beating wildly. Brokenly, she began, "L… look at me." She sniffed. "You may think you see who I really am," she shook her head fiercely, "but you'll never know me." Haldir came to mind, and she spat angrily, "Every day, it's as if I play a part." She was forced to stop when frustrated, quiet sobs took over.

The grass behind her shifted just the slightest bit and she turned around to find Legolas studying her closely. Her breath caught. Why was he here? Surely he didn't want to be. Perhaps Aragorn had sent him after her. He had a spot on his nose.

Without thinking, she reached up and rubbed the dirt off the Elf's nose. In return, he tucked a wavy string of hair behind her ear and removed the silver circlet. He gave her a look that plainly said their row was far from over, and then sat down in the grass beside her and gazed into the river. As much as Riley wished that she could collapse into his arms, she recognized that, even though their friendship was in shambles, he was offering comfort, and Riley was grateful for his presence. She turned around to look at the river again, drew her knees up to her chest, and cried.

In all honesty, she was sick to her stomach. Legolas was sitting so close, and she desperately wanted to be his friend, but they had both been so _hurt_. The words wouldn't come, and she was afraid that, by the time they did, it would be too late to mend anything. She had never had a broken friendship that she'd bothered to fix. In other friendships, if they weren't friends anymore, that was it. She would walk away, and, after a good cry, would accept that they were no longer friends, and move on.

She couldn't do that with Legolas. She couldn't do without him! How could she just walk away and forget everything that he had meant to her? How could she keep from hardening her heart toward _everyone_ if she lost him? These thoughts only fueled her tears, and she may not have known it, but she was crying from a breaking heart, and that was evident in her desperate sobs.

It was a long, long time before her tears ceased, and yet Legolas sat unmoving by her side. When she had run out of tears, and had been sitting quietly for a few long moments, Legolas stood. He took one of her hands in his, placed another hand on her back, and gently pulled her to her feet. Riley stared up at him with red, puffy eyes as he straightened her hair and repositioned the circlet. When his hands ran out of things to do, they rested on her shoulders and he looked her in the eye sadly.

They stared at each other for a long time. Riley wished fervently that that were all it took to apologize. She almost opened her mouth to say something, but the words still wouldn't come, the moment passed, and Legolas's hands fell to his sides.

By the time they had found the Fellowship's camp, the Hobbits had bathed and were munching contentedly on various foods. Riley sat down cross-legged with them and grabbed a cluster of grapes, smiling weakly at her friends. Her attention turned to picking at the grapes and trying not to think about anything.

Thonk Riley's head shot up as something hit her in the middle of her forehead. Most of the Fellowship was just staring, not sure how to react… but Pippin was looking everywhere but at Riley. Riley blinked at him, and then picked up the object that had hit her – a grape – and threw it at the Hobbit. It hit him in the eye. Riley's eyebrows raised as Pippin wailed, clutched at his eye, and fell backward melodramatically. Riley couldn't help it; she burst into laughter. Visions of Elrond with a red spot on his brow danced in her head, along with other memories of the first grape-throwing incident. She laughed even harder. Her friends stared, still not sure what to do. Riley continued laughing until her stomach muscles ached and her eyes were streaming tears. She blinked at Pippin, who was giving her Owl Eyes. "Eh…" she began, her laughter finally dying out. "Is your eye okay, Pippin?"

Well, technically Pippin was giving her Owl _Eye_. The eye that the grape had hit was turning red and swelling quickly. Riley snorted softly and pursed her lips to keep from laughing at him again. "Riley?" he asked, squinting. "You're blurry on one side…"

Riley chuckled, and then grabbed a napkin, and walked over to dip it in the cool water of a nearby fountain. "Come here, Pip," she instructed. Pippin got shakily to his feet, nearly tripping over a root, and smacking into a tree. Riley watched him fondly. When he had finally reached her, she took his chin in one hand and lightly pressed the napkin to his eye with the other. "You can keep your fancy ales," she sang quietly, glancing down and smiling at Pippin's one good eye, which was watching her. "You can drink them by the flagon," she continued comfortingly, dipping the napkin in the fountain again and settling it back on Pippin's eye. "But the only brew for the brave and true," _poor, brave little Pippin_, "comes from the Green Dragon!"

"I know that song!" Pippin exclaimed.

"I know you do," Riley chuckled, grinning at the confused Hobbit. "Where do you think I learned it?"

Pippin blinked at her with his good eye. "Merry?"

Riley snorted. "Him too, Pip." She patted him on the shoulder and glanced at the Fellowship over his head. One, two, three, four Hobbits, one dwarf, one man, one Elf who would return from cleaning up soon, one partridge in a pear tree… one man? She scanned the area again, but, no, Boromir still wasn't there. _Where the heck did he go_? "Where's Boromir?" she asked.

The Fellowship glanced around, but Aragorn just shrugged indifferently. Riley glared at him. "Aragorn, did you see where he went?"

Aragorn gave her what she long ago learned was the Shut Up Look. Too emotionally drained to really care, she acquiesced and sank wearily onto a nearby step.

She only hung around to hear Sam's song about Gandalf. She smiled encouragingly, bid them goodnight, and wandered off, not entirely sure of where she was going. Not that she was paying attention to where she was going, anyway. For once, she just failed to _think_. Her mind had voluntarily dropped all thoughts, all emotions, and she just _walked_. After walking in-between trees, through sunny patches, up winding steps and walkways, miraculously, she came upon her room. The only real evidence of her surprise was a slow blink. Still, she didn't reflect on the oddity of her being able to find_ anything_, and instead proceeded into the room, where she again stopped short in mild surprise. A small writing desk had been set up facing the balcony. The desk was stocked with various candles (along with flint), a stack of beautiful paper, quills, ink, and on top of it all… a set of chimes strung along a delicate wooden arch. This held her attention more effectively than the rest of the desk's inhabitants. She lightly traced a finger over one of the chimes, and then flicked it with a fingernail. One of the most beautiful notes she'd ever heard sang out quietly, filling the air with a certain emotion.

It is not the kind of emotion that anyone can catch. To really grasp a piece of music, one must understand it and feel the drive behind it. You must be able to feel, deep in your soul, every note that is put forth. For those that can capture all of this, please isolate from yourself that power and beauty. Music fades until you cannot remember what it sounded like; and then, amidst all the darkness, a simple, sweet ring is heard, and a pinprick of light appears. Are you not drawn to the beauty and simplicity?

A single, shimmering tear slips down our heroine's cheek, and suddenly, she is not alone, and there is _hope_.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Review please!

If you want to be notified of updates, please leave your email address and a request in your review.

**Recommended story:** _Deconstruct_,_ A Memoir_ by **Solarism**. My favorite Harry Potter fan fiction. It's about Lily (AU as of OotP) and James. Different than you've ever read, and utterly brilliant.

- If you have a story you would like me to recommend, mention it in your review!


	38. Reconciliation

**A/N:** Well, I did it, didn't I? I'm very sorry about the wait. I've been working my butt off, not just at my job, but at getting ready for university. By the time I get home from work, I'm drained. I stay up until I get creative, write a bit, and then go to bed, hopefully in time to get a decent amount of sleep. A little friend of mine just got diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, too, called dermatomyositis. It causes the immune system to attack the bones and muscles, causing extreme weakness. This will get worse as she gets older. Please pray for her. She's only nine years old, I babysit her, and we're very close.

In other news, mucho thanks to all reviewers, _especially_ those that have been reviewing the past few weeks, attempting to get me to update! **BullHeadedMoron** has been particularly diligent in annoying me into getting off my butt (in a good way, believe me, I appreciate it!)… er… onto my butt and writing again. I just got my laptop for school (today, in fact), so I should be able to write more quickly. Don't take it as a promise, though. wink

I was going to hold off on the end bit of this chapter (meaning it was going to take longer to come about), but I figured that you guys have waited long enough.

**Word of the day:** _Reconcile_ – to reestablish a close relationship between; to settle or resolve.

Thanks to** Risa **and **Hathor** for beta-ing!

Well… enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter Twenty-Nine – Reconciliation **

She stayed away from the Fellowship for a while. As much as she loved her friends, for once in a very long time, she had the opportunity to be completely alone, and she selfishly took it. Her friends could have undoubtedly used her support, but she was too wrapped up in her own misery to feel helpful. Instead, she holed up inside her room and spent most of her time writing. During the morning, while her emotions were refreshed, she concentrated on cataloguing her adventures thus far. Occasionally, a wind would sweep in and rustle the wind chimes on the top of the desk, and Riley would discover yet another note to which she could write. After midday had passed, the mental exertions of the morning began to take their toll, and she would pack up her documentations and pull out the work she'd been doing on the song that had been nagging at her for so long.

Before the light of day ran out, she had taken to taking short jogs. The Lady Galadriel had seen fit to provide her with two pairs of trousers and a few very long tunics, so Riley did not have to run in a dress. Honestly, she had never been a fan of running. She hated it with a passion, in fact. She did, however, have a knack for being startlingly random. She discovered very quickly that running got rid of her depression, which was why she made sure to run every day before it got dark.

Galadriel seemed to have anticipated Riley's withdrawal from society. All of her meals were delivered to her room along with one of the white and pink flowers that the Lady had used for illustration when they had first met, which Riley assumed was a reminder of some sort. She usually pulled her chair out onto the balcony during meals, so that she could gaze out at the expanse of the land. She became quite fond of the usual sights that she would see. There was one particular window across the way and a little down, which belonged to an Elf that she could not see very well. Every now and then, the Elf would cautiously approach the window, only to be attacked with nuts and twigs by a little gray squirrel that lived on a limb just outside. Every day it seemed as if this occurrence was new, so refreshing it was to see.

It was on a day such as this – comfortingly monotonous – that the Lady of Light herself knocked on Riley's door. Needless to say, Riley was a bit surprised, as for one, Galadriel had never seemed the type to make house calls. For another, no one had bothered Riley since she'd retreated into her room, and she'd begun to think that no one had any need to talk to her. What use was she? At least at home, she had entertainment value. Here… well, here she just tagged along. This hadn't come quite as an epiphany, but simply an addition to the multitude of depressing thoughts, one that left as subtly as it had come.

So, back to Galadriel, for she happened to be the rare quality of person that requires absolute attention. Riley had decided that day that she did not feel like getting dressed, and had been going about her business in her flowy white nightgown, when she answered the door, and sort of wished that she'd been more motivated that morning.

Lady Galadriel was stunning as always in one of her fluttering white gowns; her hair sparkled in the morning light. Riley's hair was tangled and stuck out a bit on one side. She'd been working very hard all morning and her eyes were bloodshot. _Drat_, she said sharply to herself.

Galadriel smiled and Riley stared. Lady… in her room… whaaat? Days of concentrating solely on emotions had, as they are apt to do to anyone, left Riley rather inarticulate, and consequently, rather slow.

The Lady's eyebrows rose slightly and she glanced at the doorframe. Riley followed her gaze, and, as slow as she was, realized that this was a hint and stepped back, holding the door open wide. Galadriel swept gracefully into the room, scanning it as you scan your old room and wonder what the heck your parents were thinking by painting it pink while you were at college.

"Your friends have been asking about you," the Lady mentioned off-handedly. Riley held her breath. What had they been told? Did they _know_ that she was avoiding them? "They have been told nothing. Anyone they ask simply explains that they know nothing about your whereabouts."

Riley let out her breath in a whoosh and sank onto her bed, hands clenched in her lap. "I'll be going back soon," she said softly. That was true, at least. All she had to do was get up the nerve to face Legolas with her song.

She was never going to come out of her room.

Galadriel, with her terrible tele-ma-whatsit, must have sensed that she'd immediately wanted to withdraw her statement, for she sat down primly next to Riley, and produced from her sleeve one of the metaphorical flowers from their first meeting.

Riley eyed the flower with a wrinkled nose, and said, "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Galadriel pressed the flower into her hand and gave her that knowing little smile. "That you have a _purpose_." And that was exactly what she needed to hear.

After that visit, it didn't seem so important to find out what her purpose was. It was a comfort just to know that it was there and that she would meet it one day. With this reassurance tucked away safely, Riley began to feel a spark reenter her life. She woke up just being happy that she was alive. The trees seemed more beautiful, her clothes more delicate, and life just generally _good_.

At that rate, it didn't take a terribly long time for her to build up a bit of confidence again. Nearly a week and a half after she'd holed up inside her room, she decided that it would be good to get out, and not just for running. She, therefore, marched down the stairs in her male clothes and trooped randomly around through the woods. It probably wasn't the most intelligent thing to do, but there you have it.

Still, she found that she'd been missing contact with other beings, and greeted every Elf she met with cheerful exuberance. They generally did not understand her, and looked upon her with distinct condescension, but this did not sway her, for she was now determined to be happy with her life and herself. This, she had finally surmised, was what Legolas had meant: not that she needed to _change_, per say, but that she needed to stop attempting to please everyone. By doing that, she would never be content with her life; she would always be living for others.

With that decided, Riley marched straight into the middle of the Fellowship's camp with a beaming smile and bright eyes. The Hobbits were sprawled out in the grass, engaged in various pastimes when Riley arrived.

The first to notice was Sam, who announced her presence in understandable surprise. "Miss Riley!" She had the rest of the Hobbits' attention immediately.

"Hello," Riley said, grinning widely at her little friends.

"Where've you been?" Merry wasted no time in demanding.

Pippin gazed up at her in wonder. "Did you fall in a hole?" he asked in typical innocence.

Riley raised an eyebrow good-naturedly. "Did you eat a lot of weird plants as a child, Pip?"

They were all chuckling in amusement when Pippin stopped abruptly and asked, "Why?"

Riley shook her head, still grinning, and ruffled his hair. "No reason, Pip." She paused for just a moment and took a deep breath. For some unknown reason, her confidence had just dropped into a heavy ball in her stomach. "Do you know where Legolas is?" she asked carefully.

"Yup!" Pippin answered.

From next to him, Frodo smiled. "He's just behind you."

Riley's heart quite literally skipped a beat and she spun around. Legolas was indeed behind her. Out of pure instinct, Riley smacked him smartly on the shoulder and exclaimed, "Make a _sound_ when you walk, Leaf!" What was left of her stomach dropped straight down to her feet as she realized what she'd done. _Ooooh_…_ crap_. "Um," she said shakily, eyes focused on his collar rather than his face, which meant that she missed the slight upturn of his mouth. Riley took a deep breath and tried again. "Uh. Can I talk to you?" She was fairly sure that her attempt to look nonchalant was a complete failure.

Legolas, however, was his usual very-calm self. He inclined his head politely and said, "Of course."

With that, they left the Hobbits to their devices (though it took them a while to get back up to anything, as they felt a bit snubbed by this quick dismissal), and wandered out into the woods. For a while, Riley wondered why they were still walking, but she suddenly realized that they were heading towards the river where they'd been the other day… the one where she'd cried. This seemed like an awful idea at first thought. She didn't want to go back to that humiliating place!

On second thought, it was extremely _thoughtful_ of him. Legolas _knew_ that she was most comfortable in peaceful places… preferably somewhere that involved water. He had brought her to many of these types of places in the past, now that she thought about it. Take the waterfall in Rivendell, for instance… _their_ waterfall. He always met her there and encouraged her on the process of healing. Had he always known her so well?

The answer, quite predictably, was yes. Legolas had _always_ been subtly making things better… she'd just never noticed to what extent. He had continually made her life beautiful, and quite purposefully, too. He had been the first to follow her out of Elrond's office when everyone had forbidden her accompanying the Fellowship on their quest, the first to sensitively explain _why_. But then, when it came to her life since she'd come to Middle-Earth, he'd been _first_ more often than anything else, she realized.

Which, of course, made her even more nervous than she already was, and would've made her sick to her stomach, had her stomach not dropped out of her feet and been left behind them somewhere long ago. She now wasn't quite sure that talking to Legolas was a good idea, and very much wanted to sit down smack in the middle of the forest and cry out of frustration. Stupid noble intentions, anyway. Since when was everything her fault, come to think of it?

Riley could've smacked herself as they finally came to the riverbank, but that would've looked quite strange. Everything that had happened was her fault, really.

_What a bull-headed moron I am_, _huh_? Riley thought to herself as she turned dejectedly to face Legolas. They stood for a moment in silence, until Riley decided to just get it over with. "This is awkward," she stated unnecessarily. "Um. I wanted to tell you that I think I know what you were talking about, and… well, I wrote a song about it, and… so… I think I'm gonna sing it for you; is that all right?"

Legolas tilted his head to one side as if ready to listen, and watched her kindly.

Riley took a deep breath to calm her nerves, shook out the tenseness in her shoulders, and began quietly, her voice growing as she immersed herself in the words:

"_Look at me._

_You may think you see_

_Who I really am,_

_But you'll never know me._

_Every day_

_It's as if I play a part._

_Now I see _

_If I wear a mask_

_I can fool the world,_

_But I cannot fool my heart._

"_Who is that girl I see,_

_Staring straight back at me?_

_When will my reflection show_

_Who I am inside?_

"_I am now_

_In a world where I have to_

_Hide my heart,_

_And what I believe in. _

_But somehow _

_I will show the world_

_What's inside my heart,_

_And be loved for who I am._

"_Who is that girl I see,_

_Staring straight back at me?_

_Why is my reflection_

_Someone I don't know?_

_Must I pretend that I'm_

_Someone else for all time?___

_When will my reflection show_

_Who I am inside?_

"_There's a heart that must be _

_Free to fly,_

_That burns with a need to know_

_The reason why._

"_Why must we all conceal_

_What we think, how we feel?_

_Must there be a secret me_

_I'm forced to hide?_

_I won't pretend that I'm_

_Someone else for all time.___

_When will my reflection show_

_Who I am inside?_

_When will my reflection show_

_Who I am inside?_"

Legolas studied her all this time, carefully watching her expressions and her posture, looking for indications of her mood and momentary flashes of extreme emotion. While she was singing, he noted, she looked anywhere but at him. This indicated that she was nervous, even frightened of his reaction. Therefore, it was not difficult to deduce (for Riley had always been one to where her emotions as clothes, at least to the Elves, who had had years to learn to read people) that what she was singing was heartfelt and sincere.

So that she would not become even more frightened by silence, as soon as she finished singing, Legolas spoke. "You understand, then." He sat down and motioned to the space of grass beside him.

Riley sat stiffly down next to him. "I think so," she said slowly, wrapping her arms around her knees, which she drew up to her chest. She gazed out at the river thoughtfully (also a sign of nervousness). "You were angry that I've been… living my life according to what other people want. Is that right?"

Legolas sighed, and reached over to run a hand over Riley's hair. "I was not angry. I was frustrated that you were listening so easily to what others wanted of you. Especially those from your world. I do not mean to offend you, but maybe the reason that you are here is to save you from the corruption of your world."

"My world's not all bad," she immediately said defensively. "There are a lot of beautiful things about it."

Legolas smiled slightly, looked thoughtful, and then said, "Is there respect?"

Riley's mind flew. Individual people, she knew, displayed respect all the time, and she said so. However, as soon as she opened her mouth to explain the general public… she couldn't, and shut her mouth when she realized it.

Legolas chuckled lightly and slipped his hand under her hair to turn her head toward him gently by the back of the neck. "I am sure that your world is lovely, and that there are wonderful people. You have mentioned your friends many times, and I am sure that I would trust them with my life. Yet when you so easily conform to every idea of the other, that place is not safe. Man individually is intelligent and capable of original thought, but you place him with other men, and the results are… how would you say… stupid."

Riley couldn't help but smile. "Can we be friends again?" she blurted, heart clenching as she waited for his answer.

She didn't know how to identify that emotion that flooded his eyes, but he said quite seriously, "The answer, of course, is yes."

While she may have grown extraordinarily in the past week, Riley was no less herself. Upon hearing this, she felt such a wave of relief that she threw herself at the Elf prince and hugged him tightly, pressing her face into his neck and breathing deeply of that wonderfully distinct smell that only Legolas had.

Once they had embraced for a sufficient time, neither seemed to wish to let each other go. They, therefore, stayed in each others arms and leaned back against a tree, simply enjoying being close again.

Inevitably, a certain question had to come up, thought it may not be the question most would think of. "Did you know that Mithrandir was going to die?" Legolas asked softly.

She could only see visions of the Balrog's whip wrapping around Gandalf's feet and pulling him over the side of the bridge. Her eyes filled with tears. "Yes," she said simply. Honestly, she didn't think Legolas was like that, but… what if he blamed her? They'd only just become friends again, and she was desperately afraid of being left alone again.

She needn't have worried, since Legolas tightened his hold on her and said, "That must be a difficult thing to bear."

Instead of seeing Gandalf this time, she heard, more clearly than she ever had, the awful whoosh, thwack, and surprised exclamation of Boromir being….

A tear escaped from her eye and she pushed her face further into Legolas's chest. She wouldn't think about it. Not yet.

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Review if you wish! Remember to leave your email address and a request if you want to be notified of updates.

Our **recommended story** this time is: _Deflating_ by bluebottlebutterfly. I personally think that it is one of the best Harry Potter fics out there.

**Important:** I have decided to start a Yahoo!Group so that you can _all_ keep updated on how quickly I'm writing and what's going on, etc. If you'd like to join, the URL is (minus spaces and following the directions in the parentheses) http: (two slashes) groups.yahoo .com (one slash) group/travelers(underscore)universe . This way, you can discuss anything that is going on in the Traveler universe, and I'll keep you posted on my writing life. Hope to see you there!


	39. Gravity

**A/N: **Well, this update isn't much (it's only five pages long, after all), but there's a reason for that, as always. This one ought to be particularly exciting… I'll be updating again on **August 29th**, which will mark Traveler's two-year anniversary of the first post.

It occurred to me that I haven't been properly thanking my reviewers. So **thank you**! You all remind me why I'm still writing this story. I'll give a little speech in my next update, but yeah….

Risa's out of town, and Tsumi's out of touch, so thanks goes entirely to **Hathor** for beta-ing!

Hathor's and my birthday is tomorrow (August 11th)… go us for living this long and not impaling ourselves on sharp pointy things!

**Word of the day:** _Occurrence – to take place; come about. The action, fact, or instance of occurring. _

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**Chapter Thirty – Gravity**__

"This is the song that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friend! Some people started singin' it, not knowin' what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friend—"

Riley was beginning to wish that she'd never taught Pippin that song. A year ago, she might have congratulated herself on teaching the Hobbit yet another tactic of annoying adults. Now, however… when had she lost her appreciation for good, clean annoyances?

This thought only caused her to shake her head and turn back to analyzing The Tree. The Tree was the most massively un-climbable thing in the entire forest, and Riley was determined to make it to the top.

Early that morning, Riley, with all four Hobbits in tow, set out to visit The Tree. She had only planned on seeing The Tree when she'd scheduled to trip… but then Aragorn, all-knowing man that he was, had to open his mouth and tell her that very few had ever been able to climb to the top.

Since Riley was currently standing next to The Tree and looking up at it, she could see why: this tree had not one branch for at least twenty feet, and either Elves had never really cared to _try_ climbing it, or they'd simply never heard of the shimmy strategy. Riley was, at the moment, calculating just how long it would take her to shimmy to the branches, and whether that was worth a try.

As The Tree was roughly the size of a giant Redwood, the shimmy strategy presented one problem: there was absolutely no way a human (or anyone that size or smaller, for that matter) could make it on their own. Riley, however, had an advantage to those who were meant to dwell in Middle-Earth, and that advantage was quite simple, really. When the movie "Mulan" had come out, Riley had gone to see it with her family, and in watching that film, she came up the idea of using Elven rope as a sort of crude pulley.

This was her plan: she tied the rope so that there was a loop on each end, wrapped the rope around the tree, and slipped her hands through the loops. Then she pulled, and lifted herself into shimmy-position. It seemed to take an eternity of squeeze legs, lift rope, pull up, squeeze legs, lift rope, pull up… but she finally made it to the first branch and latched onto it gratefully.

"… what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that doesn't end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friend—"

Riley spread herself out on the branch and panted, glancing down at poor Pippin, who had no idea how to stop singing "The Song That Doesn't End," and was beginning to look very desperate. "Pippin!" Riley yelled down at the Hobbit.

"What?" Pippin called back.

Riley grinned triumphantly. "You stopped singing."

Pippin blinked in surprise and looked up into the tree in wonder.

Riley simply shook her head, smiling, and leaned back against the tree, drawing deep, wonderful lungfuls of air at a time, dangling her feet on either side of the branch. "Why are there so many songs about rainbows," she sang softly, "and what's on the other side? Rainbows are visions, but only illusions…"

"What're you singing?" Merry hollered from below.

"A song by a frog," Riley called back shortly.

"Um…" Merry said uncertainly. "Can you sing one by something normal?"

_Considering that Hobbits are not considered quite _normal, _Merry_? "Sweet dreams are made of this!" Riley bellowed suddenly. From the ground, she heard Pippin gasp, stumble and fall on his rump. She grinned and returned to enjoying her peace, closing her eyes and concentrating on the quiet, natural sounds of the forest.

But Nature, it seemed, was not quite on her side. No sooner had she sunk into the silence than it was broken by the soft pounding of hooves. Her eyes snapped open, and she focused on the sound, using every instinct and Ranger tactic that Aragorn had ever taught her to pick up the variations in every step the creature took. Come to think of it, it sounded very familiar….

Riley leaned far to the side and peered around the next tree. She blinked in surprise and leaned farther to get a better look, saying in surprise, "Oolore!"

With that, she lost her balance and slid upside down on the branch. She dug into the bark with her fingers as the Hobbits on the ground began to shout. Oolore, for it was indeed the gleaming white horse that Riley had befriended in Rivendell, whinnied loudly as he came to a halt below her, and reared onto his hind legs, kicking his forelegs in the air before planting them firmly on the ground and stamping madly.

Riley whimpered, trying in vain to ignore the cramping in her fingers. She clutched at the bark, squeezing her legs around the branch until she could hardly bear the strain. With a shriek, her fingers slipped and she plummeted downwards.

Before she blacked out, she felt her body smack into something, and heard a horrible crack.

* * *

Too bright. Very cold. Hurt…

* * *

When Riley finally came to, her entire body ached, which was nothing compared to the throbbing in her lower right leg and the stiff pain in her left shoulder. The sun was shining through a window and glaring into her eyes, but shadows were moving back and forth across her vision.

"She is awake," someone said softly.

A hand was laid gently on her right shoulder as she struggled to sit up, and she found that she was grateful, because the second she had moved, pain had shot through her left shoulder, sending her mind spinning. "Lie down, Nethmin, please."

She knew that voice better than anything. "Legolas?" she murmured, cracking an eye open and squinting at the closest shadow. Sure enough, Legolas's face swam into few as he leaned over her, blocking much of the sun that was blazing down on her. He wore a reassuring smile, but seemed much paler than she'd known him to be, and there was a worried crease in his brow. He squeezed her hand.

"Riley?"

Riley turned her head slowly to the right to see Boromir watching her anxiously. He had her other hand in both of his, and was holding it tightly. Riley tried to smile encouragingly, but the pain in her leg was excruciating, and she could hardly move without sharp pain shooting through her left shoulder. She gritted her teeth and turned back to Legolas. "My leg hurts," she groaned, lower lip beginning to tremble.

Legolas smiled sadly. "Among other things?" Riley nodded pathetically, at which her neck protested loudly. She winced. Legolas reached forward and touched gently around a bandage on her forehead. "You had quite a fall. Thank the Valar that the messengers arrived when they did." Riley frowned, and Legolas smiled again. "Lord Elrond has sent messengers from Rivendell, and Oolore came with them. I understand that he is the reason you fell."

"Though I suspect I would have fallen anyway," Riley commented dryly.

"Trying to fly, no doubt," Legolas said with an affectionate grin.

Riley began to laugh, and discovered that this too caused her pain. "I heard something crack…"

"That was your leg," Boromir interjected eagerly. "You hit Oolore before the ground. However you landed, it snapped your shinbone."

Riley grimaced at the image. "It wasn't an open fracture, was it?" Boromir tilted his head in confusion. "Was it sticking through the skin?" she asked plainly.

Immediately, Boromir shook his head. "No."

"Well, that's a relief," Riley sighed. She took several deep breaths, remembering that tensing your body only made pain worse. "Why does my shoulder hurt?" she asked.

"It has been dislocated," Legolas answered quietly, watching her carefully and sympathetically. "Frodo was more observant than the other Hobbits, and noticed how you fell. You landed directly on your hand, which twisted your arm back. We will have to relocate it," he said slowly. "It will be very painful, Nethmin, but we had to wait for you to awaken. We did not want to lose you."

This sounded understandably alarming, and Riley exclaimed softly, "I would die?"

"You could have gone into shock," Boromir immediately explained. "It was too large of a chance to risk it."

Riley's breathing quickened as she suddenly realized exactly what had to be done. She had seen it in movies and such, and hadn't thought much of it, but knew, now that she was thinking about it, that is was extremely painful and meant that her arm would have to be immobilized for quite some time.

"Shh," Legolas soothed, brushing her hair away from her face. "We will be here for you, Nethmin."

"Yes, we will!" a voice came from near the end of the bed. Riley tilted her head up and noticed for the first time that Legolas and Boromir were not the only members of the Fellowship to have gathered in her room. Every one of them was there, watching anxiously. The Hobbits were crowded around the foot of her bed, staring at her with wide, concerned eyes. Aragorn was standing over her desk, sorting out a variety of bowls, and Haldir… Haldir?

"Haldir?" she muttered, puzzled.

The haughty Elf raised an eyebrow at her. "I am not here by choice, if that is what you are wondering," he said disdainfully. "I am merely holding off the hoards of curious children who wish to see this particular medical procedure."

Riley glared at him, her sufferings momentarily forgotten. "You know, you're a real jerk," she snapped.

With a perfectly expressionless face, Haldir commented, "I love you, too, sweetheart."

She couldn't help snorting with laughter, noting gratefully that the distraction had seemed to dull her pain considerably. Laughter really was good medicine, she supposed. "I taught you that," she said, her laughs mingling with dry sobs of pain.

Aragorn approached behind Legolas, holding a bowl in his hands. "This will numb your shoulder, but only near the surface of your skin. It will still hurt a great deal when it is relocated."

Riley nodded fearfully. Aragorn handed the bowl to Legolas, who dipped his fingers into the green mush and began to spread it over Riley's shoulder, trying to be as gentle as possible. Riley watched worriedly, whimpering in fright. She didn't _want_ it to hurt.

She continued to whine until Haldir stepped away from the door and said sharply, "Stop your complaining. If you want to do anything of worth in this war then you must, in your own words, _suck – it – up_."

Boromir let go of her hand and shot to his feet. "She has shown more bravery in the past weeks than you ever will, Elf," he snapped.

Haldir's upper lip curled in distaste. "Sit down, Edain," he drawled. "I have no quarrel with you." With that, he stepped easily around the man and leaned over Riley, placing one hand on either side of her head on the pillow. "If you have _any_ chance," he said with conviction, staring firmly into her eyes, "of making it in this world, you must learn to endure pain. If you want to accompany the Fellowship any farther, you must give up the comfort you are so accustomed to. If you want to _live_ in Middle-Earth, then stop acting like a child and _endure_."

With that, Aragorn gave Riley's arm a sharp jerk, popping her shoulder back into place. Riley cried out, and continued taking surprised gasps of breath, immediately relaxing her muscles and focusing all of her attention on Haldir, who arched an eyebrow and stared at her pointedly. "For that," he said, "I hope that you _are_ able to continue with your friends. Now, if you will excuse me, I have children to herd back to their mothers."

Riley gazed at him blankly, not quite sure what to think about that particular display. Haldir had been demanding, and certainly not friendly… but helpful. Well, new developments were always welcome.

After Haldir left, Riley still frowned up at the ceiling. Haldir had implied that he'd expected her to continue with the Fellowship… did he know something that she didn't? "Am I going with the Fellowship?" she asked suddenly.

* * *

Mini-cliffhanger there, I think. (grin)

Is it just me, or does everyone else want to murder QuickEdit as well?

Don't forget to check out the group! http:(two slashes)groups.yahoo(dot)com(slash)group(slash)travelers(underscore)universe

Review if you like!


	40. Impossible is Nothing

**Happy Two Year Anniversary!**

Yes, it has been exactly two years since I posted the first chapter to this very story. Amazing, isn't it? I love this story to death, mostly because it is my growing up fic. When I began writing, I was young and very naïve. This showed greatly in my writing, and my main character, Riley. Over time, though, I have grown in both myself and the way I write, and I like to imagine that this is what makes Traveler so wonderful. It grew up _with_ me, and _with_ Riley. That is why I am loathe to completely rid the world of the first version of this story, when in fact I may start rewriting it some day. Perhaps I'll just post the revised story separately.

Anyway, I would like to thank every single one of my reviewers, and especially those of you who have been with me since the beginning (Risa, I know, is one; thank you, sweetie!) and those who persevered through the sludge at the start to make it to this point in the story. So **THANK YOU**, **(insert your name here)!**

With that said, thanks to **Hathor** and **Tsumi **(who has finally gotten her new computer, yey!) for beta-ing!

And a very happy birthday (August 29th) to **Anariel**!

**Word of the day:** Resolution – _the state or quality of being resolute_;_ firm determination_.

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**Chapter Thirty-One – Impossible is Nothing**

Aragorn turned away as if he hadn't heard her, and the rest wouldn't meet her eyes. Legolas dabbed at her forehead with a damp cloth, and Boromir played with her fingers. The Hobbits were all watching her anxiously from the foot of her bed, which seemed a bit odd; she was entirely unused to seeing Merry and Pippin serious. Gimli, on the other hand, looked entirely unconcerned with the whole thing. He was leaned against the back wall with his arms draped characteristically over the head of his axe.

This was probably the reason that Riley chose him to direct her attention to. "Gimli?"

Gimli rolled his eyes to the ceiling and humphed.

_Wha_… She turned to Legolas. "Legolas?"

But Legolas just kept dabbing at her forehead.

Fine then. Who would be inclined to tell; who would tell her everything if she asked? Feeling sick at her resolution to manipulate her friend, Riley gave Boromir's hand a little squeeze and smiled imploringly at him. "Boromir?" He slowly looked up at her face. _That's it_. "Was I going with the Fellowship, Boromir?"

Boromir glanced away from her face, but answered, "Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel called for us last night. They wished to discuss the possibility of your continuing with the Fellowship."

"But there is no possibility now," Legolas interrupted. "There is no way you could continue on like this."

"No," Riley murmured. _No_, _I cannot stay behind_.

"I am sorry, Riley," Legolas said softly, brushing her hair back again, "but you knew that your journey ended here. It cannot be such a great disappointment."

"You don't have to be right all the time, you know," Riley whined, trying to shift in the bed, but only ending up wincing in pain.

Legolas gazed down at her with a mild look of surprise. "You weren't planning on staying here, were you?" he said quietly with a look of dawning realization.

Riley shrugged with her good shoulder. "I hadn't really thought about it."

"Yet you did not expect to be without us," Legolas said, gazing at her solemnly. Riley opened her mouth to reply smartly, but he continued, "And do not say that you had not thought that far ahead, because you had. You always think ahead. You are always worried. Why is it that you cannot manage to tell yourself the truth?"

"I don't want to be left behind," she answered softly.

Legolas stroked her hair again sadly. "But you will be," he said, and the matter was closed.

The Hobbits were becoming fidgety. Frodo was listening quite attentively to everything, Sam standing loyally at his side, but Merry and Pippin had taken to wandering about the room. They followed a crack in the floor to the wall, followed shapes in the wall to Riley's desk, examined Aragorn's various mixtures in the bowls strewn across the desk, and discovered Riley's breakfast tray, which in all the commotion, had not yet been taken away. There, Merry picked up one of the delicately-colored flowers that the Lady Galadriel was forever sending, and brought it over to Riley, explaining that it was "too pretty a flower to be wasted."

Riley smiled her thanks and studied the flower with a frustrated frown. "Lady Galadriel is always sending me these. I don't know _why_."

Aragorn glanced over to see the flower. "It is a symbol of beauty," he informed her.

Riley sighed. "Galadriel implied that it has some connection with the purpose of my being here. I wish I knew what it was."

Legolas gently took the flower from her hand and stroked a pink-tipped petal with one finger. "Perhaps your purpose _is _beauty." Suddenly, in his mind, something clicked.

"What do you mean?" Riley asked.

Legolas blinked in surprise at the sudden rush of connection. "Riley, you once told me, long ago, that your world had lost much of its beauty. Can your purpose not be to _bring_ beauty _back_ to it?"

Riley looked puzzled. "What's that got to do with me being _here_?"

It seemed that Legolas no longer saw anything. He was gazing off into the unknown in a dazed, happy sort of manner. "You had to find your confidence."

"But I did that," Riley protested. "I did that last time I was here. Why would I come back?"

A smile twitched at the corner of the Elf's mouth. "You had to find yourself."

"What?"

Legolas finally appeared to notice the world again, and met Riley's eyes excitedly. "Beauty is contained in all creatures. That is part of the reason we were created. In your world, you said that your people 'follow the crowd,' did you not?" He reached out and cupped her chin in his hand. "How can beauty of a person be seen if everyone appears the same? If they do not see anything extraordinary in themselves, or in their lives, what is there to make the world beautiful? Riley, why are you in such a prominent position?"

Riley's mouth moved wordlessly for a moment as she struggled to catch up to where her friend was leading. "B-because…" she stuttered slowly, "I… I show people?"

Legolas nodded his encouragement. "Yes. Yes, Riley, you _show_ people. You found your confidence, and this made people trust you. In finding yourself, you will be able to _show_ those people beauty. You can show them how to be beautiful and how to love the wonders in all things. Because," he held up the flower and slipped it into her hand once more, "your purpose _is_ beauty."

Riley smiled.

By the next morning, she was quite at a loss for what to do with her time. A group of Elven maidens had arrived early to assist her in basic morning routine. This turned out to be quite a humiliating experience, and she was determined to figure out a way to make sure that it would not happen again… especially since Fifi had once again been assigned to help her, and seemed to be taking it personally.

Riley's neck had developed a crick overnight, which she couldn't quite reach with her right hand, and every time she tried to shift to appease it, a sharp pain in her left shoulder warned her that she'd better not do that again. Her lower right leg had been splinted and wrapped tightly to prevent any movement that might hinder the healing process. Basically, she was stuck in her bed in the same position since she'd first woken up the day before.

It hadn't been terribly long since the day had begun, and she was about to declare official boredom. The most exciting thing that had happened so far was the sunlight shifting across the ceiling. Riley glared up at the sun line, wondering exactly how long she'd be immobile.

A knock on the door pulled her away from her melancholy thoughts, and Riley prayed that whoever was outside her room would prove to be cheerful company… unlike Fifi. Riley sighed dejectedly and called in a regally bored manner, "You may enter."

Thankfully, it was Boromir who slipped into the room and smiled shyly. "I thought you could use some company."

"Ah!" Riley exclaimed happily, suddenly feeling very carefree. "I am dying of boredom. I'm so glad you've come! What is going _on_ in the outside world?"

Boromir laughed at the melodramatic response and drew up a chair next to her bed. "We all stayed until you fell asleep last night, and it can't have been long since you woke up. How can you be bored already?"

"Easy," Riley quipped, examining her right hand's fingernails. "I'm bored. 'Nough said."

Again, Boromir chuckled. "Well, I am here to alleviate your boredom, then. What shall we talk about?"

"Cheese," Riley replied promptly. "Does your dad like cheese, Boromir?" Boredom often did strange things to Riley, the most common being a strange bout of randomness. In this case, it had brought her forward in time to Denethor's famous eating scene.

"My 'dad?'" Boromir asked.

"Oh, that's right. No dads here. Okie dokie. Does your _father_ like cheese? Because I know he likes chicken and those little tomatoes that are hard to just stick in your mouth because they're too big, and is it just me, or are they impossible to spear with a fork too? What?"

Boromir was watching her pensively. "You know my father?"

"Like a pigeon knows a blueberry pie… which isn't much, and doesn't make sense, now that I think of it, but still, yes, I do."

Boromir stare at her as if she were… what is the word? Oh yes. _Crazy_. "I think perhaps your injuries have shocked you more than we supposed."

Riley couldn't help but feel a small twinge of hurt, but replied as flippantly as ever, "Nope. This is me. If you don't like it, you can just go away now." She waved her hand at him dismissively.

"Oh, no," he hurried to assure her. "It is just that you are talking quite a bit more rapidly than is normal for you, and I… perhaps I cannot understand you because you are not from this world."

"No, no," Riley said, gazing carelessly up at the ceiling, and rambling on, "I'm just talking utter nonsense. Like you when you try to convince Frodo to give you the Ring. Now _that_ didn't make sense. I…" she trailed off, and it took her a moment to understand the warnings wracking her body. She froze, and no matter how hard she thought, no words came. Maybe if she didn't say anything, he'd forget, or not notice the slip.

Yet, even as she hoped, she knew that there was no reason to. He had caught it, and was leaning forward with that cruel frown disfiguring his face. "What of me having the Ring?" he demanded quietly.

Riley simply stared at his face in panic. "Oh crap" didn't even come close.

"When do I have the Ring?"

He was leaning far too close, and Riley struggled to shift to her right, away from him, without hurting herself. _It's Sauron talking_, _not him_. _It's the Ring_, _never Boromir_, she chanted in her head.

But her silence only seemed to anger him, and he reached out and gripped her left shoulder. Riley cried out at the sudden pain that flared. "When does Frodo give up the Ring?" Boromir demanded, louder this time. He jerked her arm, causing tears to well up in her eyes.

"He doesn't," she cried desperately. "He runs away."

All of a sudden, Boromir seemed to realize what he was doing. His frown melted into worried surprise as he let go of her arm and jumped back. Riley pressed her lips together to keep from bursting into tears, and turned her face away to compose herself. _He can't know_; _you have to hide it_. _You have to make his life better_. _You don't want him to die ashamed_.

Giving a little sniff, she faced her friend again. Boromir was looking from her to the hand he had grabbed her with, trembling. "Riley… I didn't… I…" he said brokenly. "I didn't mean…"

Riley forced a reassuring smile. "It's okay." And, to give him an easy way out, she added, "The Ring does that to people."

Boromir didn't accept this gratefully, as she'd expected him to. Instead, he stared at her. "You would forgive me so easily?" he said quietly.

Riley swallowed. What was going on? "Y-you're my friend," she answered slowly.

But Boromir shook his head. "It took you days to forgive Legolas. Why forgive me for hurting you?"

"I didn't forgive Legolas; Legolas forgave me," she replied automatically, staring at him worriedly. For once, she could not tell what he was thinking.

Boromir seemed not to have heard this statement. "What happens to me that makes you want to forgive me that readily?"

With that, Riley turned her face away from him in horror. She clenched her teeth, shut her eyes, and murmured sadly, "I'm tired. Please go away." She could hear Boromir leave the room and shut the door behind him, but still she did not open her eyes. _Oh no_, she thought. _What have I done_?

The rest of her friends came to visit her that day, of course, but instead of welcoming them as she would have done earlier that morning, she only smiled half-heartedly at their attempts to cheer her up. They all noticed, as they had been around her for years now, but none of them said anything.

As much as she tried to pay attention to them as they told her stories and related tales of their adventures in Lorien, she couldn't help straining to think of whether or not she had completely destroyed the hope of the Fellowship to destroy the Ring. Boromir now knew that something was going to go wrong. She had all but confirmed that he would soon try to take the Ring, and something would happen to him. She didn't know what his reaction would be. Boromir had always been noble, but if he knew that within the next few weeks, the quest would claim his life, would he be willing to risk it? And moreover, would the Ring be able to sense these things? Riley had no idea whether the Ring could communicate with Sauron. If it could, and it knew that Frodo would soon be alone with the Ring, what kind of consequences would there be? Would it change everything so that Boromir _did _get the Ring?

Eventually, with her lack of response, her friends began to trickle away, and she was left utterly alone. She felt cold and sick to her stomach, antsy to get out and find a solution to her biggest mistake to date. The only real solution, though, was quite simply in theory. She now had no choice but to continue on with the Fellowship, and make sure that everything went the way it was supposed to… to make sure that Boromir died. It wasn't a game anymore, not a nice little sightseeing trip. It wasn't _fun_ anymore.

"I need to prove that I am _capable_ of going," Riley muttered to herself. This was much easier said than done, and no longer entirely appealing, now that she actually thought about it. She couldn't reach the crick in her neck, much less get out of bed and hike to Rohan! Or Mordor, depending on what else she mucked up within the next few days. "Geez," she hissed in frustration, thumping her head against the pillow and squeezing her eyes shut.

Still, determined to correct everything that she'd just done, Riley took a deep breath and heaved her body to the right, rolling towards the edge of the bed. Pain flared from her shoulder, stabbing from the muscles outward, causing black dots to swim across her vision. Riley quickly rolled back to where her shoulder was supported, and pressed her eyes shut, breathing rapidly to dull the pain. When it had dulled enough for her to re-achieve her focus, she bit her lip, held her left shoulder as still as possible, and tried to sit up. This took too much effort from the muscles in her shoulder. Wincing, and whimpering hopelessly, she relaxed back down onto the pillow and moaned, "This is impossible." Fighting the tears that stung her eyes, Riley pinched her lips together to keep them from trembling. How was she supposed to do this? It was too hard!

She lay there dejectedly, worrying about how she could fix the mess she'd made, berating herself for being too weak-willed to simply get up. Not long later, she began to hear the clap-clap of hooves coming up the hall. _No_, she thought. _That's stupid_, _and I'm crazy_. _Legolas was right_;_ I am too young_. Yet, there it was: the sound of hooves right outside her door, and the muffled nuzzling of the door itself. Then, to her surprise, and mostly her confusion, the door clicked open, and in came Oolore, bobbing his head in greeting, and snorting in contempt for all the stairs he'd had to climb to get there.

Riley blinked in astonishment. Oolore lowered his head in a classic, "What?"

"Oolore?" Riley said, shocked.

Oolore said, "Pffffhunh."

Riley stared at him for a moment before saying hesitantly, "Hello…"

Oolore bobbed his head, taking this as an appropriate answer, and clopped on over next to the left side of the bed. He leaned over and took one deep whiff of Riley's head, and then puffed.

Riley couldn't help giggling girlishly, and shoved his nose playfully. "I'm fine, smart alec, thanks to you. How about you; you feeling all right?"

Bob.

"Oh," Riley said, nodding as if she understood. "So it didn't hurt when I fell on you?"

Bob.

"Oh, it did?"

Bob.

"But you're okay now?"

Bob.

"You know, you're the smartest horse I've ever met."

Bob.

Riley laughed and shook her head at him. Oolore seemed to take this as a compliment, and he snorted and bowed, to Riley's further amusement… but an idea had rushed at her, so that she hardly noticed the horse nudging her head with his nose. There was no way she would have made it all the way to the Fellowship herself… but assisted….

"Hey, Oolore," she said breathlessly. "I'm trying to figure out how to continue with my friends when they leave here. It'll be dangerous. Wanna come?"

Oolore regarded her for only a moment before snorting, bobbing his head vigorously, and stomping the ground in excitement.

If Riley's left arm hadn't been out of commission, she would have clapped. "All right," she said, determination coming back into her voice, "the first thing we have to do is get me out of bed."

Oolore shook his head as if this was much too simple a problem, and immediately knelt patiently by the bed. Riley stared at him in a terrifying moment of realization: she would have to roll over her injured arm. Going the other way simply wasn't possible, as she was going to need a good arm to reach across Oolore's back and pull herself on. She closed her eyes, searching for an image to motivate herself… and found one in the moment that Frodo began to literally drag his body up the slopes of Mount Doom.

Closing her mouth grimly as the resolution was reached, Riley began scooting on her back toward the edge of the bed. Knowing that she would have to complete the entire operation very quickly, Riley gritted her teeth and took a few deep breaths to feed her concentration. Inhaling on final time, she threw the entire right side of her body up and over. Her left shoulder protested sharply, but by that time, she had already gotten a good grip with her right arm and leg (injured though it was), and was pulling herself up, pushing off from the bed with her left leg.

Before she could even sit up, Oolore was back on all fours, ready to go. When Riley had gotten herself up and situated, she embarrassedly adjusted her nightgown, of which the sleeves had been cut off to provide easy access to her shoulder.

Oolore stomped his feet impatiently, obviously feeling that she was being _much_ too girly. "All right, all right," Riley said, sliding her right hand into Oolore's mane and getting a loose grip. "Next step: get to the Fellowship. High ho, Silver," she said sarcastically.

This step was pulled off easily enough, and it would be dull to describe every inch of it, but suffice it to say that they went out the door, down the hall (where Riley mimicked tipping a hat when they passed a shocked Fifi), down the stairs, and directly to the Fellowship's camp.

"Final step," Riley said softly as they reached the camp, "is: gain permission." This would be the most difficult part, she knew. Most of her friends were generally opposed to putting her in danger, and they would say so quietly, but Legolas… he had been the first to say no in the first place. His opinion where she was concerned had always been taken seriously, perhaps because he knew her better than anyone.

Oolore didn't wait for her gather her courage; he charged straight into the middle of the camp. Riley gripped his mane fearfully as he leapt over a high root and planted his feet right next to Sam, who was busy testing the consistency of the Lothlorien earth, no doubt comparing it to the dirt in the Shire. Sam squawked and dove away, scared out of his mind. Riley couldn't help it; she burst out laughing. The rest of the Fellowship, excepting Gandalf and Boromir, noticed the commotion and came to see what was going on. When they saw Riley, they stared at her in surprise.

Before anyone could react, Riley squared her shoulders, sitting up straight on the majestic white horse, and announced, "I've decided to continue on with you when you leave Lorien."

There was a shocked sort of silence as her friends tried to digest everything that they were seeing. The Hobbits gaped, while Gimli humphed typically and leaned on his axe, and Aragorn rested his weight against a tree with a proud sort of smile. Finally, Legolas began to say, "You cannot…"

Riley put an end to that straight away, determined to go. "I can too, and you know it. I'm an adult, I can make my own decisions, and I even have the Lady Galadriel's endorsement, I've heard. I'm going."

Legolas shook his head. "You are _injured_, Riley. You cannot go!"

"Oh." Now she felt foolish. Of _course_ that was the argument now. Thankfully, she'd already cleared that with Oolore. Doing some quick thinking, and adjusting her own arguments accordingly, she said, "Well, I've already solved that problem. Oolore has agreed to carry me on the quest. So, you see," she continued, swallowing nervously, "I'll be perfectly fine."

Legolas frowned slightly as he searched for another objection. "We will undoubtedly have cause to fight again. You cannot fight with your injuries."

She was ready for that one. "Did it ever occur to you, Legolas, that I _know_ when I will not be strong enough? That I am telling you that I am going because I _have_ to? Believe me, if I hadn't just royally screwed us all over," she said bitterly, "then I gladly would have stayed in that bed for however long it took me to heal." She paused, wetting her lips and blinking back her tears. _This is not a game_, _and there is no turning back_, _no matter how much you hate that you have to do this_. "I am not asking your _permission_, Legolas," she said firmly. "I am _telling _you that I am going. It is imperative that I be there, and if I cannot travel with the Fellowship any longer," _I cannot believe that I am about to do this_; _I'm not strong enough_, "then I will follow you."

If it had been at all a comedic moment, Riley would have expected a holy light to shine down on the Hobbits as the angels sang a hallelujah chorus. All that really happened, though, was that most of those watching resigned themselves to the idea of her coming along. Legolas seemed as though his feet had been glued to the ground as he studied her in what appeared to be mild wonder.

The only thing that could have quite ruined the moment of triumph was the entrance of Boromir, and as moments are almost always ruined, Boromir did enter the clearing in a stormy rush. He noticed Riley immediately and paused mid-stride to stare at her in surprise.

A moment later, as Riley simply stared back, he shook himself out of it and gave her an almost contemptuous look. "Predicting the future for the Elf now? Who is next to be caught in your web? Haldir?"

For the second time that day, Riley fought back hurt. "Is this all because you are jealous, Boromir, or are you just generally calling me a harlot?" she snapped as he stomped away. Boromir froze and turned slowly back to face her. Riley licked her lips nervously, but continued to stare at him coldly. "What bothers you more: that I don't love you, or that I love someone else?" She had said it without thinking, she realized in a moment of panic. She _knew_ she loved _him_, but to actually _say_ it….

Boromir seemed to leap toward her, pointing a finger accusingly. "What do you know of the future, of our world, of my family? You have not seen it," he denied fiercely.

Riley blinked tears away, swallowed, and brought up something that not she, nor anyone else, had heard, save for three in a certain family. "'We have more urgent things to speak of. Elrond of Rivendell has called a meeting. He will not say why, but I have guessed its purpose. It is rumored, the weapon of the enemy has been found.'

"'The One Ring… Isildur's bane….'

"'We must not let it fall into the hands of the Elves. Everyone will try to claim it. Men, dwarves, wizards; we cannot let that happen. This thing must come to Gondor.'

"'No… Gondor?'

"'It is danger to say no. The Ring will ever seek to corrupt the hearts of lesser men, but you, you are strong, and our need is great. It is _our_ blood which has been spilt, _our_ people who are dying. Sauron is biding his time. He is massing fresh armies. He will return, and when he does, we will be powerless to stop him. You must go. Bring me back this Mighty Gift.'

"'No… my place is here with my people, not in Rivendell.'" At this, to keep the knowledge of Faramir from the Hobbits, Riley sped forward to Boromir's departure from Gondor. "'Remember today, little brother.'"

The anger melted from Boromir's face as she spoke, and again she saw him, the grown-up little boy who was her best friend. He shook his head weakly. "Impossible," he whispered hoarsely.

Riley smiled sadly down at him. "Impossible is nothing," she said wryly.

* * *

And that was the longest chapter yet by almost 700 words. Yey!

**Recommended fic:** "The End" by me. My one-shot version of how Harry Potter ends. Mwaha! Or, if you like, I'll be updated "Etant note" within the next couple of days!

Don't forget to check out the group! http:(two slashes)groups(dot)yahoo(dot)com(slash)group(slash)travelers(underscore)universe

Review!


	41. Boromir

Dear Muse!Legolas,

Oh dear. How can I ever explain my absence to these poor readers? Should I blame it on school and work – I've been too busy to write? Has it been lack of support or initiative? Or do I have the audacity to blame this eleven-month pause on your unprecedented trip to Antarctica that you _so conveniently_ forgot to tell me about? I would glare at you if I had any energy to speak of these days.

In the end, I shall blame it all on making new friends, your stupid little vacation, and Phantom of the Opera. It probably wasn't the smartest decision I've ever made to rent Phantom, for I immediately became obsessed with it. Not only am I scrambling to find ever Phantom book, songbook, soundtrack, etc., but I have discovered HUGE amounts of fan fiction – _brilliant_ fan fiction too – that I have filled my head with. Phantom has, in fact, so taken over my obsessive tendencies, that the Lord of the Rings sensibility that I was already struggling to maintain due to my love of Harry Potter, has attempted to entirely vacate the premises. I found that I easily wrote huge chunks of this chapter, and got up to ten pages that way… but the large part of what was left to write happened upon my weakness: conversations.

I have completely REFUSED to go a year without updating. I'm glad that I sent Aragorn to find you, or else I fear you wouldn't have come back. Maybe if I'd sent Erik with threats of Punjabbing, you would've been back sooner….

Blame it on writer's block, you say? Well, that'd be pointless, wouldn't it? Nothing was blocking me from the story itself, really… the motivation to write simply dropped out of sight. Every time I _meant_ to write, I found myself reading instead.

But alas, I really must blame your absence on my own hesitation to force you to come back. Conversations are my doom, you know if full well. Without conversations, we have no hope of saving Riley from a Mary-Sue existence in which she is perfect without explanation, and learns without mistake.

We must both learn to approach a conversation with honesty, and hope, you and I, or else we shall never finish this, our masterpiece, which we started so very long ago.

We cannot make this long wait up to the readers without proving that we can finish with a brilliance we've never before reached. Even some of our most faithful readers have undoubtedly lost hope, and without the email list that was deleted, we have no way of drawing them back. With our readers' help, perhaps we can begin to rebuild our empire. If they want to know when we update Traveler, we must encourage them to add it to their story alert list. If they want inside information as to how further chapters are moving along, they should join our TravelersUniverse at http (colon, two /s) groups.yahoo. com /group/travelersuniverse/ (without the spaces).

At this point, we can only beg for forgiveness. We must ask for it meekly and humbly, and dare to hope that in time, we will be forgiven. The only shield we have in our favor is that we _never_ intended to abandon the story, and never will… not even if it takes us ten years (God forbid) to finish it.

Here is to the hope that I can rediscover my Lord of the Rings inspiration, and that you will never leave me again, Muse!Legolas!

Your authoress,

Captain Oblivious

(AKA Kasey)

**Our deepest, sincerest regrets for leaving you hanging for so long, dearest readers.**** Enjoy the new chapter, and the end of Fellowship of the Ring.**

****

**Chapter Thirty-Two – Boromir **

When Riley was nine years old, her dog had had a seizure, and had not recovered. For hours, Riley had followed it around the backyard, trying to bring its mind back to its body. The dog, however, had continued walking in small circles and running into things it could no longer see. In her childish mind, Riley had struggled to understand. Her doggie had had seizures before, but had always been fine. Why was this night so different? Somewhere in her innocent young thoughts, she knew that this was utterly wrong, that there would be no recovery this time.

Her parents had indulged her and allowed her to stay up long past her bedtime so that she could keep trying to help her dog, but eventually, she was sent to bed with the reassurance that everything would be all right in the morning. When she had woken up, something had felt _wrong_. There was something missing… she wasn't remembering something important.

It had taken her a few moments to even remember what had happened the night before. When she had timidly asked where her doggie was, her mother had taken the girl on her knee and told her the awful truth. The dog had been beyond help, and they had had to put it to sleep.

That was the first and only time Riley had had to deal with the death of anyone close to her. When she had tried to imagine being without Boromir for the rest of her life, she found the very idea inconceivable. Years ago, she had been severely depressed after she had seen Return of the King for the first time, simply because she had realized somewhere near the end of the movie that it was the very end of The Lord of the Rings trilogy… it would never continue. Watching Boromir those last days was that feeling multiplied endlessly. What she wouldn't give to be able to forget everything she knew about that horrible day….

Since she had proven that she was physically able to accompany the Fellowship, Riley had been up and about every day. Legolas had coaxed her into spending her remaining time in Lorien resting in bed, but Oolore, it seemed, would have none of it. He came like clockwork, every day at the exact same time, to get her up and about. He came so often, and she rode him for so long, in fact, that she had become quite accustomed to mounting him and staying on his back the whole day. Within a few days' time, she was a fairly proficient rider, or more so than she had ever been.

Mourning Boromir and the fear of failure were the only reasons that she was maintaining she would go on with the Fellowship. Once she had truly understood what her role would be, however, she had desperately wanted to sink into the earth. Better yet, she wanted to go _home_.

This realization had come suddenly and with brutal force. It had struck her as soon as the gravity of the situation had that she wasn't just living in a story. She was about to walk willingly into the biggest war of a world, put her friends' lives and her life in danger to do so… all to make sure that her best friend died.

She had to, she told herself. If Boromir lived… well, there had been more stories than could be counted about that. Some had been Mary-Sues, but most ended in disaster either way. Merry and Pippin had been taken immediately, for one thing. Boromir had no opportunity to redeem himself, and no one knew that the Hobbits were abducted in the first place. Aragorn had no motivation to head toward Gondor; he didn't even make it to Rohan. Legolas and Gimli did not become friends. It was as if that one event caused a domino effect. The end usually came with Frodo's capture and death, and Sauron's repossession of the Ring. The end usually came with disaster.

She became so focused on her depressing thoughts that she failed to purposefully spend time with her friends, as she'd been meaning to. The fact that she would soon almost literally murder her best friend caused more than one nightmare-filled sleep. It was difficult for the most healthy of bodies to heal with enough sleep and long days of rest, and Riley's body was working with little sleep and active days, yet every day brought significant improvement, and it seemed that most days dawned with the purpose of determinably staying crisp, clear, and bright, to counter every depressing thought she had.

It was one such day when Riley decided that she had to get Boromir to go back to the camp of the Fellowship. The last thing that was needed was the Fellowship realizing that the man from Gondor was not simply nursing his pride. Her sharp rebuke to Boromir had bought him time to consider the larger problem without suspicion. If he took any longer about it, however, the Fellowship would know that there was more than a wounded heart causing the distance between the once best friends.

That day, instead of heading straight to the camp as she was used, Riley and Oolore made their way out into the open woods, just outside the city. It would have been like looking for a stick bug in a tree if Riley had not long ago realized how very similar she and Boromir were. There were only a few places that Boromir would have instinctively stopped to think. Knowing this, Riley headed straight for the same creek she had run to for refuge at least two weeks ago. If they were as alike as she thought, Boromir would have gone some place with the gentle, quiet sounds of nature to be soothed and refreshed. She could only hope that he had gone in search of soothing, and not malice to feed his anger toward her.

As Oolore tromped upstream, up to his stomach in the water, but seemingly perfectly happy with the situation, Riley sank into her thoughts. She quietly watched the water's patterns as it swirled and splashed away from the horse's movement. Sand was stirred up with every step, making the water beige and murky. The tiniest movement disrupted the stream's gentle flow….

"Are you only out to slosh in the river, or are you looking for something?"

Oolore halted in his wading and Riley snapped out of her thoughts to find Boromir leaning against his tree along the bank of the river. She gave him a mock serious look. "Please don't insult the horse, Boromir, he has done nothing to you."

"On the contrary, he is the one who gets you out of bed, is he not? By doing this, he continues to inconvenience me."

Oolore snorted, and Riley warned, "Boromir…"

Boromir did not look impressed. He stood, eyes hooded and dark. Frowning, he looked at her feet and said, "Come out of there before you catch your death of cold."

Riley followed his gaze and realized that her feet were indeed half-submerged in the cold water of the stream. She nudged Oolore with her heels, prompting him to tromp testily up onto the bank next to Boromir. "You ought to go back to camp, Boromir," she said.

A wry smile twisted his features. "Before they discover it was not just a wounded heart that drove me away?"

Riley swallowed, willing her heart to keep from dropping into her stomach. She could not lie, and so she acknowledged quietly, "For that very reason."

Boromir winced and turned, escaping into the forest.

She was not to be deterred, however, and she and Oolore followed him. "You cannot run from this, Boromir."

He turned to her sharply. "Can I not?" he said angrily. "You may know the future, _girl_, but that will not keep me from running from death."

For a moment, she could see it: she'd let him run, and send Frodo off to Mordor alone herself. But she couldn't expect him to stay away from the fight, much less Gondor. Gondor was in his blood; he wouldn't stay away unless forcibly held back.

"You cannot run forever, Boromir. Sooner or later, it will find you." She could not bring herself to say "death." She sighed, gazing sadly at him. "I wish there was another way, my friend."

"_Friend_," he said bitterly. "If you were truly my friend, as I have always thought you were, you would find another way – _any_ other way!"

She tried not to let it sting. "I have _tried_ to think of another way. There _is_ none."

His jaw clenched. "Why?"

She knew what he wanted without asking. "I can't tell you that."

"Yet you seem sorry for more reasons that one. Is my death really that shameful?"

"No!" Riley exclaimed. "It's nothing of the sort; it's very honorable!" She paused to take a moment to collect her thoughts. "Boromir, I would gladly save you from this fate, if I did not _know_ that it is _key_ to the survival of this world."

Boromir stared at her, facial expression unreadable. "By my death… this war is won?" he said slowly, as if trying to work it out for himself.

Riley swallowed the lump in her throat. _Am I really having this conversation_? she thought. "It sets in motion the events that save the world," she replied. "There are a thousand things that it effects, including the futures of your father and your brother. Would you take Faramir's dignity from him, Boromir? His life is so enriched at the end of this all. Would you change that?"

She didn't need to ask, really. In fact, she was beginning to think that he was only struggling so hard against this because he knew it was inevitable. If there was ever a piece of information that you wished you could forget, this was it. Who _really_ wanted to know that they were mortal, after all?

Oolore carried them both back to the outskirts of the Fellowship's camp, and Boromir slid slowly from the horse's back, walking slowly back into the camp.

He only made it a few steps when Riley called to him. "We'll be okay, don't you think?" she asked.

Boromir reached up and touched the small of her back. "I should think so," he answered kindly. Then he turned and walked casually toward the camp.

Riley watched him for a long moment before steering Oolore away and galloping around the camp in a wide circle. "Come on, Oolore," she told him. "I have a doctor's appointment, and I have the feeling that I'm very late." Oolore snorted. "Yeah…" Riley chuckled. "I kind of feel sorry for Fifi too."

Oolore took her right up to her room and dropped her off, having his own plans for the afternoon. Riley sat quietly at her desk, penning random thoughts while she waited for Fifi. "The beginning of a journey, the beginning of my song. A flower shaping my world, the petals of each day long. The center gold and beautiful, gravity, my rock. Spreading outward, I begin, the white petal of innocence I am not. But at the tips, there I dwell, a pink reflection of my thoughts. To understand its deepest meaning, every bit together, I know that I ought. Yet, as together we make one, working toward a goal, still I cannot see the end beyond the rocky shoals. Until such a time when, to me, the flower is whole, the purpose will be beauty for me, for all."

For days, she'd been attempting to work out the analogy of her flower. She couldn't quite grasp how falling out of a tree could assist her "purpose" or beauty, and was at a loss for how she could bring beauty from one world to another in the first place. Was she just supposed to look pretty?

"Ugh," she hissed, tossing her pen at the parchment. "I'm a flower! Are you serious?" Honestly, it was utterly pointless to try and figure out Galadriel's metaphor. She was like Yoda!

"It is good to see that you have returned before nightfall. I almost did not expect you to return at all."

Riley rolled her eyes to the ceiling and called over her shoulder, "Good afternoon, Fifi."

Fifi glided around the chair and knelt in front of Riley, getting right down to business as she unwrapped the splint on her leg and began prodding at the bones.

Riley winced as the Elf's fingers hit a particularly sore point. "I'm sorry that I was late, by the way. I ran into an old friend. Were you waiting long?"

"A mere half an hour of my life was wasted awaiting your return."

Riley resisted the urge to snort, but answered nonchalantly, "Well, you're life's immortal; I'm sure you can get it back." Fifi gave her a pinched look. "I _am_ sorry that I kept you waiting, though."

"I am sure that some day, I will feel the inclination to forgive you," Fifi replied, pulling Riley's skirt back over her knee and standing. As she moved to examine Riley's shoulder, Riley smiled, knowing that was as good as being forgiven immediately.

"Thank you." A second later, she cried, "OW!" as Fifi jabbed a finger into a swollen area on her shoulder and grudgingly informed her that she was healing much more quickly than humans normally did, concluding that this probably had something to do with the "Elfin Child."

Later, just as the sun began to hide beyond the tree-tops, there was a gentle knock on her door, and Riley pulled her eyes away from the evening colors to see who entered her room. A wide smile spread across her lips the moment she saw it was Legolas, glad to see her friend.

He entered the room carrying a tray of food, the waning light touching his golden hair, making him glow as he smiled back at her. "I have realized that we have not truly spoken with each other in quite some time," he said.

Riley waved him in. "Come in, come in! It feels ages since we've had a proper picnic!"

Legolas matched her delighted smile as he set the tray of delicious food down on the desk, unfortunately having to cover some of the random scraps of parchment Riley had been working on. "I did think an indoor picnic might do us both good." He sat down lightly on the edge of her bed and leaned forward to press a hand to her knee. "And how is my Little One?" he asked cheerfully.

Riley laughed. "Why, I'm hardly your 'Little One' any longer, Leaf."

He joined her in a carefree laugh. "And if we happen to go by your age, Nethmin, then I shall be calling you my Little One forever!"

Riley shook her head, still laughing, and set her hand comfortably on top of his. "You know, you never explained what 'Nethmin' means."

Legolas turned his hand so he could hold hers. "You have a limited amount of knowledge of Sindarin, but surely it is not quite so limited as that."

Riley frowned slightly, and Legolas smiled at her confusion. "All right. 'Nethmin' is translated into two common words."

"'Min' means one," Riley immediately supplied, recalling her Sindarin studies in Rivendell.

Legolas nodded. "Yes. And 'neth' refers to something we were already speaking of."

Riley narrowed her eyes at him, the corner of her mouth quirking into a queer little smile. "You mean 'nethmin' is just a sneakier way of calling me 'little one?'"

Legolas nodded again, laughing. "Yes."

Riley dissolved into giggles.

As the laughter died down, Riley bit her lip, twisting her fingers nervously. Something had been concerning her… "Legolas," she said meekly, "do you think that I'm too concerned with myself?"

Legolas considered her for a moment, searching for any clues as to what kind of answer she wanted. She simply stared earnestly back. "I think," he began slowly, "that a certain amount of thought must be given to oneself in order to… better yourself, I suppose. You cannot live life to the fullest without knowing who you are."

Riley scratched her nose, nodding thoughtfully. "So… it's okay to think about myself, but I shouldn't obsess about it," she said.

Legolas reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. "Be happy, Riley," he intoned, smiling. "You have so much to be happy about."

For a moment, she was contented to gaze affectionately into his eyes. For a moment, the world seemed simple again, and all evil was locked outside the room. And for only that moment, she was tempted to launch herself into his arms and hide from everything, tell him everything, let him take care of it.

Then she remembered that that was not his job, and that her happiness depended on her ability to make herself feel content with her own life. Biting her lip, she reminded herself that it was still all right to _talk _to him. "How is it that I want so badly to stand out, when I feel like the most important thing is to fit in? Even among hundreds of people, why do I feel alone?" she wondered softly.

Legolas caressed her cheek with his thumb, watching her pensively for a moment. "Riley… to be content in your life, you must learn to love the things about yourself that make other people notice you." He tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him again. "You are _truly_ unique. Take comfort in the fact that you mean everything in the world to at least one person, and if anyone succeeds in that for only one moment in their lives, then they should never have cause to feel alone."

Unable to resist, Riley's mouth twitched into a beaming smile. "How do you know so much?" she asked.

His hand stroked her cheek one more time before it fell away and he grinned. "You forget that I have lived a very, very long time."

Riley poked his shoulder playfully. "You may be old, Leaf, but you're nowhere _near_ the age of some Elves. I bet, compared to them, you're even younger than me!"

Legolas laughed, snatching an apple off the tray of food and tossing it to her. "I _happen_ to be a rather respected authority on certain matters of a very grave nature."

Riley snorted. "In other words, you know a lot about green things?" she laughed.

She almost expected him to snort right back at her, he was so close to rolling his eyes. "More than _you_, anyway."

Riley took a bite of her apple and tucked the bite into her cheek as she spoke. "Yes, well… that's just one of the differences between Elves and Men, eh?"

Legolas waved a hand in a haughty dismissal. "A list so long, and an issue so deep, that I fear it will take more than _one_ picnic to even _begin _the discussion. However, perhaps we can decide where to begin the next time we come to it."

Riley tapped her chin, over-exaggerating her thoughtfulness. "Hm… Elves and Men… Elves and Men… ah! Lightbulb!" Legolas smiled, and Riley grinned excitedly. "For our next discussion regarding the differences and difficulties between Elves and Men, I chose Aragorn and Arwen as our subjects."

"Ah," Legolas nodded in acknowledgement. "Two very worthy subjects, nethmin."

Riley rolled the apple around in her hand. Once she had _thought_ of the "subject," it was difficult to stay away from it. "Why do you think Elrond is struggling so hard against their relationship? I mean… they love each other. What more can he expect from them?"

Legolas smiled thoughtfully. "I, too, have always assumed their love would carry them through anything…"

Riley raised an eyebrow. "But?"

Legolas's smile turned wry. "But the challenges they face in the diversity of their relationship require much more bravery than I…" he corrected himself, "than most possess."

Riley's nose scrunched at the thought. "I guess an Elf and a Woman together would be difficult."

Legolas eyed her carefully. "Much like the relationship between a Man and a Woman from different worlds?"

The comment instantly caught her attention, and her eyes shot up to meet his. "You mean Boromir?" she asked breathlessly. His gaze lowered in acknowledgement. Riley's mouth moved wordlessly. He didn't think… "Boromir and I are friends," she said, but even in her own ears, it sounded weak.

The rest of their afternoon was spent making light conversation, but Riley couldn't quite forget Legolas's inadvertent accusation. Since when had _everyone_ begun to see a romantic connection between her and Boromir?

For as much as she loved spending time with her friends, Riley began to find their company exhausting. She nevertheless loved them dearly. While she longed for the days of picnics with her Rivendell friends and games with the Hobbits, she pushed herself to accept what time she could spend with them. With their departure drawing nearer and nearer, she was increasingly aware that they would all be separated, and she despaired for poor Frodo; his innocence would be shattered by the next time she saw him.

The only true amusement she had in tip-toeing around everyone was that she and Boromir often did it in tandem. Sometimes she felt that they were dancing around the Fellowship, knitting a tight web that withheld future from present. It was complicated, that time. Even though Boromir had deduced a great deal, Riley had to remind herself that he was still almost entirely ignorant as to future events. What she shared with him and what she didn't began to take the form of a game. Nothing lessened her anxiousness to be honest in everything, but she could not deny the thrill of intricately spinning fact and fable together. It made her feel distinctly like a CIA operative.

Legolas had stayed with her much more closely than ever before. Perhaps he knew how well her stories were beginning to isolate her. With every little thing that she had to conceal, she unknowingly took step after step away from her friends. Legolas refused to allow her to retreat entirely. He visited her in her room, and whenever she was with the Fellowship, he started conversations that he knew she could participate freely in. On many occasions, Aragorn, Legolas, Boromir, and even Gimli brought out maps. They taught her geography, history, even meteorology. Somehow, she decided, she was being prepared. Maybe it was the fact that they now knew she was with them till the end. This had long since gone straight past a field trip, and now more than ever, with Gandalf's recent death and tensions high, they realized how serious this journey was. To be the only hope for an entire world, and for all they knew, an entire eternity, was draining, to say the least. None of that weight rested as heavily as on poor little Frodo's shoulders.

For a short time, the Hobbit had seemed to take comfort in the safety of the forest, almost as if he were forcing himself to forget all that had occurred in the past months. He even enjoyed a few good smokes with all in the Fellowship except Legolas and the Wizard lost (Boromir offered Riley a try at a pipe one night, but she'd had such a coughing fit that they all vowed never to let her do that again). It took Riley a while to realize that Frodo was not healing at all, but pressing on, determined to keep his burden as light as possible.

It was with a sinking heart that she watched their stay in the haven of Lorien come to a close. The rest of the world seemed so far away, the events of days so recent seemed to have happened only in the imagination.

Humbled and weary, Riley agreed to distribute the Lady's gifts to her friends. Her new Elven-made cloak felt comfortingly warm, almost as if it were trying to give her what happiness it could. _Not quite a jean jacket_, _is it_? she'd thought to herself upon receiving it.

One by one, they were given their gifts, along with a few words of wisdom. Riley walked a step behind Galadriel, handing each of her friends their weapon, bit of earth, rope, anything that would aide them on their journey. Boromir's hand brushed hers… her stomach formed a knot. When Legolas's hand touched hers as he took his bow from her hands, the knot immediately vanished. It was replaced by butterflies and tingling nerves, with would have been wonderful, were she not trying to hold the Hobbits' daggers. The tingling nerves made her grasp on the daggers slip, and the knot in her stomach returned as she stumbled and dropped the pint-sized knives.

She could feel the disdain of some of the Elves watching burning into her back. Legolas knelt down with her, running one hand over her back and passing her the daggers with the other. The hand on her back soothed, setting a cool barrier between her and the resentful glances being sent her way. For a moment, she imagined sinking into his arms and allowing the barrier to protect her from _everything_… she met his eyes, and that strength suddenly seemed to seep into her. "You are _truly_ unique. Take comfort in the fact that you mean everything in the world to at least one person, and if anyone succeeds in that for only one moment in their lives, then they should never have cause to feel alone." With the smallest of smiles, Riley hugged the remaining gifts to her chest and stood back up.

Once each gift had been accepted gratefully and examined, they started the process of loading and assigning boats. Merry and Pippin, discovering that they weren't much help in this, climbed into their boat, picking and prodding at the different parcels stocked at one end. Riley reached for a package of supplies to help, but a touch on her arm stopped her. It was Lady Galadriel, and she motioned for Riley to follow her.

The two walked down to the water's edge a ways away from the others. Taking the Lady's cue, Riley stood at the bank and gazed out at the tranquil waters, soothing thoughts drifting through her mind. Galadriel's presence no longer unnerved her, but instead settled her in a gentle peace that she cherished. It remind her so much of the mother she missed.

After a moment, Galadriel turned to her, but Riley could not bring herself to return the penetrating gaze. The safety she felt in her presence was fast slipping through her fingers. Her eyes calmly watched the river, but her mind struggled to become imprinted with Lorien's peace. _Please_, she begged silently as the content was pushed away and reality settled into place. With her transition from 'reality' to 'fantasy,' her world to Middle-Earth, Riley had learned to run from reality as fast as she could. No matter what happened here, it was still a _story_. Why then had reality so doggedly pursued her? Things here had become infinitely less like a dream and more like a real life within the past few weeks. She had problems here too, and while they were completely different from the problems back home, they were just as difficult, and she could no more run from this future than she could from the other.

Something cool brushed her cheek, and she turned automatically. The back of Galadriel's fingers pressed lightly against her skin; she was giving Riley a very motherly smile, comfort, pride, and compassion all mingled into one gesture. "You did not think that I have no gift for you, did you?" she asked kindly.

Riley blinked. Had she even thought of a gift for herself? "I…" she stuttered, gaping at the Elf in surprise.

From within her sleeve, Galadriel produced a silver necklace, much like Arwen's, with a pendant shaped as one of the metaphorical flowers. "I give you your symbol," she said, motioning for Riley to turn around, which she did. "Beauty, purity, compassion," she clasped the necklace around Riley's neck, "these are what you represent. May you never falter from the path."

On impulse, Riley spun around and threw her arms around the Lady, who gently folded her in a brief hug.

Riley returned to the boats, examining her new necklace. She passed Aragorn on the way, glancing up long enough to give him a tiny smile. The smile he returned was tight and stressed, reminding her that he was much more burdened in this journey than she. She _was _one of the burdens, in fact. She might be able, by some lucky chance, to fend off a couple of Orcs when they came at her from the front, and one at a time, but handle herself in a war? No, she needed these warriors much more than they needed her, she decided.

"The boats will move more quickly than your horse at times, so you will need to inform us if you are falling behind."

Riley tore her gaze from the necklace to see that she had wandered right up next to Boromir, who was finishing packing his boat. "I think I'm more his human than he is my horse," she said, yawning and holding tightly to her pendant.

Boromir's mouth twitched in amusement as he noticed her gripping the chain. "What've you got there?" he chuckled, stepping close to her and reaching up his hand.

Riley set the pendant in his palm and watched his blue-green eyes study it. "Galadriel says it's my symbol and that is represents me," she explained.

Boromir turned it over, and thought she knew that the delicacy of the pendant was farce, Riley couldn't help but fear for it in his large hands. "It is a very pretty little thing, isn't it?" he acknowledged. "Was this your gift?" Riley nodded. Boromir imitated her, feigning seriousness. "A useful thing indeed. No doubt you are expected to protect yourself with your beauty, how ingenius."

Riley immediately snatched the pendant back, frowning at his uncharacteristic mocking. "Why would I need beauty when I have you strong men to take care of me?" she said coolly. Giving him a quick, and what she felt was obligatory, hug, Riley strolled away to find the others. She passed Gimli and gave him a good solid thump on his helmet and advised him that he'd only sink faster with it on. Frodo and Sam both received affectionate one-armed hugs, while Merry and Pippin were spun around till they were dizzy enough to trip and fly face-first into their boat. Legolas's hug was one in which he pressed his face into the crook between her neck and shoulder, and in which, as Joe Jr. from 'While You Were Sleeping' might say, she _leaned_. Aragorn was still busy saying farewell to the Lord and Lady of the forest, but he looked up at her long enough to place his hand over his heart and then motion toward her, a move reminiscent of Legolas and Arwen's good-bye in Rivendell.

A final exchange of wisdom and comfort-filled glances with Galadriel, some last advice from Legolas about riding separate from the group, and another wave at her friends, and Riley swung up onto Oolore, stiff and sore injuries protesting mildly, and the two made their way out of the Lothlorien woods.

It had been decided that Riley would ride ahead of the Fellowship, leaving each camp before they awoke. The boats traveled much faster than a horse could, and because she was looking to the future and thus insisted that Oolore would be needed, Aragorn in turn had insisted that she get a head start every day. Each day that the Fellowship traveled, Riley and Oolore would made their way along the bank, barely keeping up with the boats, and often entering their camp hours after the Fellowship had settled in for the night. On one day, Riley and Oolore came to a rather steep, slick embankment and had to manage a tricky path around the small canyon, putting them several hours behind the others. Instead of making her own camp that night, Riley paused for only half an hour to eat and give Oolore a rest and then rode on through the night and the next day. As the banks disappeared they were forced into the forest, and at some point, managed to overtake the Fellowship. This was not realized until she came to a very familiar embankment, one of the last before a massive waterfall….

Riley's stomach sank the moment she recognized Amon Hen. She'd known it was drawing near, oh of course she'd known, but the sheer closeness of the breaking of the Fellowship, the last time they would be almost entirely untouched by evil… it made her stomach so heavy that it sunk to her feet. She slipped off of Oolore, tiredness slowing every movement, and pulled her pack with her. Oolore wandered off in search of something to eat, while Riley sank to the ground, barely pulling her blanket around her and leaning against a tree before her eyes slipped shut and she was fast asleep.

The next thing she knew, a warm hand was brushing her hair off her face. She opened her eyes with a huge amount of difficulty and stared groggily up at Legolas before she remembered where she was. Another hand roughly snatched hers into its grasp, effectively shoving her sleepiness out of the way. Startled, Riley swung her head around to find panic shifting into relief over Boromir's face. "We were worried when you did not meet us in camp last night. We thought you must have gotten lost in the woods when the banks became too steep for your horse."

"Oolore's too smart to get lost anyway," Riley replied, her voice oddly gruff. Aragorn knelt down in front of her, pensively pressing at her throat with his fingertips. Riley frowned, but continued, "We had to take a detour, then we were really behind, so we just kept riding." Boromir nodded, but didn't look at all appeased by this information.

Withdrawing his hand, Aragorn gave her a reprimanding frown. "You're going to make yourself ill," he warned her.

"I'm not sick!" she began to protest, but her voice disappeared halfway through. She cleared her throat and finished the exclamation, though with not nearly the same force. This attempt, however, was immediately followed by a series of hoarse coughs. Riley kept her mouth pressed shut and tried to pretend that she wasn't as cold as she felt. Legolas brushed her hair away from her face again, but Riley kept her watery eyes focused on the river behind Aragorn.

Boromir had been looking around, though. "You knew that we would make our camp here?" he asked slowly.

Her attention was caught. Not trusting her voice, she simply stared at him until he looked down at her. She forced herself to nod. Boromir began looking around again.

The four of them were silent for a long moment. At length, Legolas took her by the elbow and pulled her to her feet. "You should move around; your body needs to warm itself."

Riley's head suddenly felt very full and heavy. With a good deal of mental urging, one foot managed to make it in front of the other, and she somehow managed to keep going around the small camp, making an oval in the sand and rock of the beach. Every time she passed the Hobbits, she tried to give them a smile, but she imagined that it came out more as a grimace. "Stupid… cold… stupid… bank… stupid… uuuuuunnnnn…" she grumbled softly as she marched. Her voice had never been quite so hoarse before, and while it was uncomfortable, she found the sound highly amusing. Even Legolas look entertained as she tromped by.

Aragorn eventually seemed to decide that she obviously couldn't be trusted to heal her own voice, because he brought her an Athelas leaf and told her to chew and swallow it. Riley took it, croaking that she was grateful that he hadn't chewed it for her. The Athelas tasted like dandelion milk, but it immediately numbed her mouth and throat.

A moment later, Frodo appeared beside her, touching a hand to her back. Riley wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and the two continued wandering the outskirts of the camp. Frodo gave her waist a little squeeze before breaking away to rummage in his pack, but Riley kept on shuffling along. No sooner had she reached a far edge of the camp, the one farthest from her friends, than an arm curled firmly around her waist and pulled her into the forest.

Startled, Riley stared up at Boromir, automatically trying to pull away as alarms sounded shrilly in her head. Boromir's arm only tightened, making an escape impossible. "Gather firewood with me," he said, and Riley scolded herself for suddenly being afraid of him. This was _Boromir_, her _best friend_.

Once further into the forest, Boromir released her and they both began to search for fallen branches that were sufficient for burning. Riley rubbed her eye with the back of her hand and yawned, wincing as her throat expanded.

"You recognized this camp," Boromir finally spoke.

Riley didn't reply. Hadn't she already confirmed that?

"Why _this _camp, I wonder?" he continued.

"I recognized last night's camp without even having to see it, you know. The one where Aragorn said he wouldn't lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of your city?" Boromir's features hardened, but Riley pressed on. "It's not entirely unbelievable that I recognized _this_ night's camp, Boromir." She dumped her firewood into Boromir's arms, gave him a pointed look, and attempted to walk away casually. She ran straight into Frodo as soon as she turned around. Her nerves nearly jumped out of her skin, an eerie cold sweeping down her spine as she watched the Hobbit stumble back and then catch himself. "Frodo," she choked out, throat stinging.

"None of you should wander alone; you, least of all. So much depends on you," Boromir pointed out, adding another log to his pile of firewood, before he noticed the wariness that danced on the Hobbit's face. "Frodo?" he questioned uncertainly. A new, frightening sort of confidence crept into his eyes as Frodo stood frozen before him. "I know why you seek solitude. You suffer. I see it day by day. Are you sure you do not suffer needlessly? There are other ways, Frodo; other paths we might take."

"I know what you would say, and it would seem like wisdom, but for the warning in my heart," Frodo murmured, keeping himself at a distance from Boromir.

"Warning? Against what?" Boromir looked amused for a moment, but his eyes quickly regained their dangerous glint.

"Boromir," Riley began, reaching out to him… but he seemed not to see her, advancing on Frodo and walking straight past her, bumping her shoulder so that she stumbled and wrenched her injured leg painfully.

"We're all afraid, Frodo," he said softly, "but to let that fear drive us to destroy what hope we have… don't you see, it is madness." His hands trembled.

"There is no other way!" Frodo insisted steadfastly.

Boromir's eyebrows drew together, his eyes narrowing, and he angrily threw the firewood to the ground. "I ask only for the strength to defend my people!" He reached out to Frodo, saying hopefully, "If you would but lend me the Ring," but Frodo immediately took a step back. Boromir emanated frustration. "Why do you recoil? I am no thief," he wailed.

Riley desperately wanted to steal Frodo's words for herself. It was the opportune moment to call his attention away from Frodo, from the Ring, to remind him that _she _was there, that his plan for the Ring was utter madness. But when she opened her mouth and tried to speak all that came out was a barely audible croak and squeak. Emotion closed her already failing throat, making speech impossible.

"You are not yourself," Frodo said sharply. The bitter tone sounded odd coming from his mouth.

Riley pressed her eyes shut, willing her tears away. The angry and defensive words that followed sounded far away. She struggled to push them away, to remember that things were _supposed_ to happen this way….

Her eyes flew open as Boromir shouted, "Fool! It is not yours save by unhappy chance. It could have been mine; it should be mine!"

Every ounce of her common sense was gone. There was only poor, unhappy Boromir, and sad, doomed little Frodo struggling with each other for some cruel reason she could not remember.

She flew at Boromir, reaching for his arm, but as soon as her fingers brushed his sleeve, he whipped around, gripped her upper arms, and shoved her away with such force that she had to stumble backwards. Her injured leg wobbled before collapsing under her, sending her rolling a little way down the hill. Recovering quickly, she pulled herself back up the slope, gripping the back of his shirt as he leaned over Frodo, grasping at the Ring. Using his weight as an anchor, she managed to climb to her feet before he threw her away again. Her leg twisted, wrenching the healing bone and sore muscles. She cried out at the pain, but Boromir did not notice.

Frodo may have heard her, but at that moment, he slipped the Ring onto his finger. Boromir let go of him in surprise, and Frodo used those few seconds to push the man away, escaping his grasp and running. Riley felt his tiny fingers touch her shoulder gently in concern. Eyes still on Boromir, she said softly, "Go. It'll be all right now." _In more ways than one_, she thought. The fingers squeezed her shoulder briefly, and then they were gone with the quiet pattering of his little feet.

Boromir leapt back to his feet, back bent and hands stretched out as if on the prowl. He called angrily for Frodo, sounding remarkably like his father with his shouted threats. Suddenly, his feet hit a patch of unstable leaves, and he fell, landing heavily and sliding down the hill a few feet. The fall, it seemed, knocked some sense into him.

Riley bit back tears, still afraid to move, as Boromir began to panic, pleading pathetically for Frodo to come back. "Frodo, I'm sorry!" he finally screamed before his head dropped back to his chest in shame. He breathed shakily, shoulders trembling as he fully realized what he had done. "Frodo, I am so sorry," he whispered brokenly.

Riley sniffed as tears began to escape from her eyes. Boromir's head lifted at the sound, turning until he could see her. He had obviously forgotten that she was there at all, for he took in her appearance with surprise. She had hardly moved since she'd fallen, only rolling a bit so that she could watch what was happening. Leaves and twigs stuck out of her hair, and her clothes were disheveled, twisting in odd directions. He reached out to her, and without thinking, she jerked away.

Slowly, Boromir pulled his hand back, glancing at it in disbelief and swallowing. Again, cautiously, he reached for her, and this time, she reached back, wrapping her arm around his neck and pulling herself against his chest, bursting into injured sobs. Boromir immediately folded her in his arms, holding her as if she could slip away at any moment. Riley pressed her face into his neck, the tears pouring from her heart in an overwhelming amount of pain. All she could think of was the Uruk-hai pouring over the ridge and swarming back on Boromir, Lurtz smirking at him from the top of the hill and then standing before him with such triumph. Everything inside of her screamed, "Get away from him! Don't touch him!" but she could not slow her breathing enough to form the words in her mouth.

Boromir buried his face in her hair, clinging to her as if he was about to lose her. Oh, if he only knew how close to the truth that was….

It was some minutes before either of them stopped crying. Riley lay draped across his lap, pressed against his chest, and began to think that it wouldn't be so hard to love him, after all. She certainly cared about him as more than a friend, there was no denying that. And saving him from his impending death wouldn't be as difficult as she'd led herself to believe, either. She _knew_ everything, for heaven's sake! She could make sure that everything went according to plan. Frodo had already been scared off; all she had to do was get Aragorn's attention just too late to save Merry and Pippin from being captured. _Getting _his attention without alerting the Uruk-hai would be tricky, but possible.

Each passing second strengthened her resolve to save Boromir. A shaky plan firmly printed in her mind, Riley pulled gently away from Boromir and stared up at him earnestly. "We're going to fix this," she said.

Looking weary, Boromir gazed back at her. "Fix what?" he asked.

Riley squeezed his arm reassuringly. "You'll see!" she promised. "But now, it's time to go." She patted his arm and shifted away, fully intending to climb back to her feet. The first bit of weight she put on her leg, however, sent shooting pain through the nerves. She hissed, and fell back to the ground. "Valar," she swore through her teeth.

Boromir immediately knelt next to her, running a hand over her back. "Your leg is not as healed as you pretend, then," he said.

Without thinking, she began, "It was only feeling a little stiff until you…" She stopped abruptly and glanced at Boromir to see if he had noticed.

He winced.

Riley bit her lip. "It won't take long to be all right again. It's not that bad," she said quietly.

Boromir was silent for a long moment. "All the same," he said slowly, "I think it would be better if I were to carry you back."

Riley nodded, stretching her hands up and wrapping her arms around his neck. He lifted her easily; he'd always been able to do that. Riley leaned her head tiredly on his shoulder as he made his way back down toward the Fellowship's camp.

She pulled herself closer as her thoughts turned dark. She didn't love him the way he wanted her to, of course. As much as she tried to fool her into thinking it could be accomplished, it was simply impossible.

"What is that sound?" Boromir said suddenly, stopping and turning toward the noise.

Riley's head shot up. Directly in their path was a very familiar grouping of trees next to a clearing…. "No!" she murmured.

"Orcs," Boromir spat, recognizing the roar of running feet and growls.

"Uruk-hai," Riley corrected automatically, scanning the ridge of the hill in terror. "Boromir, listen to me," she began, but Boromir was already setting her down behind a small hill, away from the clearing where Riley knew there would be fighting.

"Take this," Boromir interrupted, pressing the Horn of Gondor into her hands. "If it looks as though the fighting will go ill, call for help with this." He reached up, pulling her bow over her head and setting it onto the ground next to her. Finally, he pulled a dagger from his boot and slipped it into her right boot. "You cannot walk, so promise me not to fight unless you absolutely must, Riley."

"Boromir," she said hurriedly, trying to warn him… but at that moment, Merry and Pippin crested the ridge and ran down the hill as fast as their little legs could carry them.

Boromir took Riley's face in his hands. "Do this for me, love," he said urgently. The Uruk-hai had just appeared over the ridge and were following the Hobbits down the slope.

The words could not come; she nodded. A fleeting smile lit his features. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers, and then he was on his feet, drawing his sword and racing to intercept the monsters before they could get to the Hobbits.

Riley felt suddenly cold and very alone. She rolled onto her stomach, horn clenched against her chest, and peered over the top of her little hill. The monsters were upon Boromir, and he was defending himself and the Hobbits fiercely. At each swing of a sword, Riley's muscles tensed, heart hammering with worry.

Boromir fought with increasing fervor. Uruk-hai upon Uruk-hai fell under his sword, and still they came. Even the strongest of warriors would tire from such an onslaught, and Riley could see that even if Boromir were to never tire, he would need help.

Swallowing, Riley forced herself to take several deep breaths. Shuffling backwards, further down her hill, she placed the horn to her lips and blew all her might. "Help! Help! Help!" each blast called.

Suddenly, Boromir shouted her name, and she whirled around just in time to see several Uruk-hai coming at her. The horn fell from her fingers as she threw herself at her bow, at the same time pulling an arrow from her quiver. The first two arrows easily found their targets, sinking into the chests of the first two Uruk-hai. The second made it a little closer to her than the first had, stumbling and nearly falling on her. She had to shift to keep from getting crushed, accidentally releasing the third arrow as she moved. The arrow barely made it into the next Uruk-hai's shoulder, slowing his charge only in the slightest.

Riley quickly drew the dagger from her boot. The monster grabbed her by the back of her cloak, pulling her back, but he found his arm stabbed a second later. Riley jabbed the dagger into his arm again, sickened at the feel of the blade entering muscle, but kept on, relentlessly cutting him until she was able to wriggle free. The Uruk-hai hunched over, though he failed to look pitiful in his pain. Without hesitation, Riley slashed at his throat, effectively ridding herself of the threat. Now was the time to help Boromir. There was no way that she would sit and watch her friend die….

The Uruk-hai clutched at its neck for a few seconds. Riley shoved him to the side and scrambled up over the other two bodies. She desperately peered over the top of the hill… and found Boromir, just in time to see him reel backward from the blow of the third of the Uruk-hai's arrows and collapse to his knees.

Riley let out a dry, silent, heartbroken sob. She could have saved him! She had taken too long dispatching the monsters that had come at her!

Her nerves twitched, urging her to run to him, to protect him from Lurtz, to hold him and tell him that everything would be all right. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Merry and Pippin being lifted and carried away as the Uruk-hai thundered past Boromir, ignoring him as if he were already gone.

Riley dug her fingers into the earth, trembling, with tear clouding her vision. He couldn't be gone, he couldn't, he couldn't! Lurtz would _not _touch him. "No!" she wailed pitiably, trying to stand. Her fingers, slick with the Uruk-hai's blood and now covered in dirt, struggled to grasp the dagger's hilt.

An Uruk-hai at the end of the departing pack spotted her and broke away to charge at her. He swung his spiked sword from above, and Riley threw herself to the side, knocking it away with her dagger. The sword managed to slice the back of her hand, the dagger slipped from her fingers, and she dove after it, gritting her teeth as her shoulder and leg protested painfully. She grasped the dagger with both hands, lifted it above her head and plunged it into the Uruk-hai's leg.

The beast threw its sword aside, growling in pain, and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her off her feet. Riley gave a strangled shout, grasping at the monster's hands, feet flailing about. She kicked at him, hoping to find a sensitive male area, and finally found the spot after a few tries. Several well-aimed kicks caused the beast to wince and hunch a bit, but he only squeezed her neck harder.

Tears poured from her eyes. The edges of her vision began to darken and blur. Her feet struggled to find purchase on the Uruk-hai's legs so that she could lift herself up. But nothing….

And, a second later, that didn't matter. An arrow struck straight through the monster's temples. He went sort of cross-eyed, shook, and then fell, fingers loosening as he went.

Riley slammed into the ground, hands trembling inches from her neck as she gasped in shaky bursts for air. She didn't lay there for more than a few seconds before she was taken into gentle arms and cradled tenderly, while fingers softly stroked the forming bruises on her neck, calming her skin. Riley closed her eyes, gratefully leaning into the touch and taking in deep lungfuls of air at a time. She knew it was Legolas who was holding her; his clean, earthy smell was always untainted. She wanted to stay in his arms forever, where she knew without a doubt that she would always be safe. There, her wounds would fade away. She would never have to think of evil things happening: physical pain, aching hearts, losing friends…

What had, before, been the uneven sound of breathing suddenly morphed into a panicked gasp. Her eyes shot open, her body jerked out of Legolas's grasp. Her leg threatened to give way, did a few times. Her breathing turned into urgent sobs. Finally, she collapsed, not even seeing Aragorn as she wrapped an arm across Boromir's chest, a leg around his leg; she rested her head on his shoulder.

His chest did not move under her arm. No voice rumbled beneath her ear to reassure her or to joke or argue. No hand reached to find hers in companionship. Nothing was there to stop her wails of agony as she clung to her friend… who was no more.

Legolas eventually peeled her carefully and gently away from the fallen warrior. The sudden lack of something to hold forced her to immediately wrap her arms around Legolas and bury her face in his shoulder.

She insisted on helping later, as they carried Boromir's body down to the boats. She held his head and limped down the hill. She only made it a few small steps, however, when her body, exhausted, gave out. They laid Boromir down long enough to find Riley a comfortable spot where she could wait, then they resumed their sad funeral procession. Riley was not there for long before Oolore arrived. She dragged herself onto the horse, limbs shaking severely with the exertion.

She knelt at Boromir's side to say good-bye, kissing his cold lips and pressing a hand over his heart as she whispered into his ear that everything would be all right, she loved and missed him very much, the dagger would be treasured, and was it okay if she kept talking to him even though he was gone? She brushed his hair, still damp with sweat, away from his face, kissed his forehead… and then she and Oolore led the boat as far into the current of the river as they could…

And she let him go, fingers slipping off the Lorien wood as the boat moved out of her grasp.

Neither she nor Oolore moved as the boat glided away over the water. Her eyes did not stray as it became smaller and smaller, finally disappearing over the edge of the waterfalls. The wind tugged at her long hair, which had come mostly unbound during the battle. Chesnut strands whipped around her face, individual hair sticking to her eyelashes, but still she stared at the spot where the boat had winked out of sight.

"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore," she vaguely heard from the shore. She turned automatically to see Legolas looking at Aragorn, who had not followed him in leading boat into the water. "You mean not to follow them," he said, puzzled.

Aragorn was fastening Boromir's arm guards, which he had solemnly removed from the fallen warrior's body, as he answered, "Frodo's fate is longer in our hands."

Gimli's "then it has all been in vain" echoed in Riley's ears. She saw and heard the scene from far away, as if she were only watching the movie with Jeremy in her Manhattan apartment.

Aragorn considered both the Elf's and the Dwarf's downcast expressions carefully. He caught Riley's eye, almost as if he was seeking approval for his plan. The slightest tilt of her head was all he needed, and Riley automatically mouthed along and turned back to watching the waterfall as Aragorn said, "Not if we stay true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death; not while we have strength left." There was a pause and a swish as Aragorn sheathed his Lorien blade. "Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let us hunt some Orc!"

What followed was the gathering of necessities (food, weapons). They moved swiftly, and within only a few minutes, they were ready to pursue the Uruk-hai. Legolas gently secured Riley's quiver on her back, and slipped her bow over her head. He refastened her hair, tucking a few rebellious strands behind her ears. Oh, how she wished that she wanted to be held in his arms!

Her feelings rebelled. Not now, not when she was mourning the man who had loved her. He never expected a thing in return, only loved her. To be in Legolas's arms again so soon would be cruel.

Legolas brushed away the tear that ran down her cheek as she gazed down at him sorrowfully.

"Legolas, Riley!" Aragorn called.

Legolas turned away, Riley tangled her hands in Oolore's mane…

And the Man, the Elf, the Dwarf, and the Woman on Horseback charged off to save their friends. Only one of them knew the battles that they were to face. But she wasn't afraid.

**A/N:** Twenty-two pages, everybody, the longest chapter in the history of my longest chapters! I only planned on taking it up to the end of their stay in Lorien, not even to the gift-giving scene, but that idea was scrapped almost immediately. You guys have waited eleven months, and I didn't want that to all be for nothing.

Rant, yell, whatever. I deserve it. All I'm hoping for now is that you enjoyed this chapter… to a point, of course. I understand getting a morbid sort of pleasure from watching/reading of Boromir's fate, but I'm certainly not expecting you to like it.

But, ah, we begin to see where Riley's strength comes from. The clue lies in that, in the end, she couldn't bear to be responsible for a friend's death… one that she knew how to prevent. Do you see it now?

**Review!**


	42. A Change w update info

**12/26/06: **CHECK MY BIO FOR INFO ON UPDATES!!!

**A/N:** This chapter's only about half as long as the last one, but that's as far as I could get before today, and I _had_ to update today because, come on…

**HAPPY 3RD ANNIVERSARY!!!**

I don't care how long it took me to update last time. Three years… that's some dedication for you.

**Chapter Thirty-Three – A Change **

She did not have time to properly grieve. Though she certainly felt the pain permeating her entire being, what she truly needed was to collapse as she longed to do, and wail at the loss. But they were on the move, and it was an unspoken agreement that they should be as silent as possible. So she was left with little to help her fight depression as it wrapped itself around her and squeezed.

Both her leg and shoulder had swelled, making them stiffer than they had been before. The injuries throbbed constantly, and every step Oolore took sent waves of pain rolling through her nerves. She would have been irritable if she'd had the heart to do anything but slump in the saddle.

They ran straight through the first night and most of the next. Eventually, Aragorn seemed to decide that Gimli and Riley and Oolore needed rest, though he did not say so directly. Riley slid sideways in her saddle until Legolas caught her by the waist. She was reminded, and vaguely took note, that though the Elf had a slight figure, he was still strong, much stronger than one would expect. He slid an arm under her knees, carrying her to a comfortable spot in the grass near the others. He also fetched her blanket and helped her wrap it around herself. A spark of appreciation managed to shove itself above the depression, and she opened her mouth, suddenly realizing how long it had been since she had talked properly. "Thank you," she croaked softly, staring as earnestly as she could manage at Legolas. She couldn't bear it if he though she was purposefully being cold.

He looked up in mild surprise from tucking the blanket closer to her. Riley nearly drowned in a pang of self-hatred at the hopeful look in his eyes. "You are welcome," he answered just as softly.

Riley struggled to swallow. How she longed to simply say she was sorry for neglecting him… but he wouldn't understand if she did. He treated her far better than she deserved. Haldir was one who refused to make allowances for her circumstances and sex. She despised him and appreciated him for that, despised him because, like everyone else, she wanted the feeling that she was special in some way, and appreciated him because he refused to do all the work for her. It was time for her to grow up, and that was something you had to do on your own.

She squinted to watch Legolas settled down a few feet away to keep the first watch. _He's only a few feet away_, she assured herself, pushing away her feelings of unease. _You're safe_. Still, after only a few moments, Aragorn and Gimli were asleep, and Riley struggled to calm her mind enough to let exhaustion take over. Her eyes stubbornly refused to stay closed, her legs wouldn't stop squirming. Over and over her mind replayed Boromir's shocked look as the first arrow struck, his dismay when he realized death was inevitable… her shame when she realized how easy it would have been for her to save him and still keep everything going according to plan.

Tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She pressed her eyes shut to try and stop the tears, but the images immediately became more vivid. She opened her eyes, but then the tears fell more freely. She felt so very _alone_ wrapped up in her blanket, lying feet away from Gimli and Legolas. _Legolas_… Boromir would never have wanted her to be alone when she felt so hurt.

Shakily, she pushed herself to her feet and hobbled her way over to the Elf. Legolas made to climb to his feet to help her, but she was already lowering herself next to him. He gripped her good arm and wrapped an arm around her waist as she descended, and by the time she reached the ground, she was already gently tucked in his arms. Riley draped an arm across his middle and snuggled her face into his shoulder. Her tears flowed freely but silently. When he realized she was crying, Legolas's hold on her tightened. Finally feeling safe and comforted, she drifted off to sleep. _Love you_, she thought before her consciousness completely slipped away. It was almost as if she'd said it out loud. And it almost felt as if Legolas's arms tightened in response.

She woke blearily at one point a few hours later to find Legolas and Aragorn conversing quietly. She didn't move; barely opening her eyes.

"… loved him deeply," Legolas was saying.

"I do not doubt that, but wonder if we had misinterpreted their relationship," Aragorn answered.

Riley fought to stay awake, curious about what they were talking about, but sleep quickly reeled her back in, and the next time she woke, the conversation was gone like a dream.

Legolas had somehow shifted her to the ground without waking her. In fact, he'd even taken the blanket from her, as he was, as she awoke, securing it on the back of Oolore's saddle, as Aragorn was settling the reins.

Riley stretched, wincing as her shoulder and leg protested, and blinked the sleep away. She leaned her head to the side, still watching Legolas, and almost yelped when her head suddenly fell toward her shoulder with a few resounding pops and cracks. Aragorn and Legolas turned in mild alarm. Riley clapped a hand to her neck with a barely audible, "_Oww_." The middle of her upper back announced an ache loudly, and Riley automatically leaned her head to the other side to try and stretch the muscles, and was again startled when her head fell to the side and her neck cracked. The ache in her back moved lower, so she twisted in her seat… eventually she had cracked almost every joint in her body, and was feeling unusually limber. She finally looked up to find Aragorn and Legolas still watching her, looks of mingled worry and amusement on their faces. Gimli simply humphed and rolled his shoulders back, cracking his back without concern.

Riley gave an amused huff and pushed herself to her feet. A new little determination had sprung up during the night, something that told her to enjoy this time while she could, there would be time to grieve later. Now was the time for fighters and warriors to step forward. Whatever this new determination was, it must have shown, because no one moved to help her until she'd reached Oolore. Aragorn gave her a leg up into the saddle, and then he and Legolas helped to firmly plant her feet in the stirrups. Aragorn handed her a loaf of lembas, and she held it in her mouth while she wrapped her right hand in the reins. Within a few more minutes, they were off once more, running after the Uruk-hai who had taken their friends.

The sun had barely risen when they set out that morning. The air was still bitingly cold, and the ground was crunchy with frost, but today, Riley relished every miserable detail. Had she been asked, she would not have been able to explain why, on this of all days, she was so happy to be alive. She felt suddenly strong enough to be alone. How could Boromir's death have effected that? Only last night she had felt lonely, abandoned even. There was simply no explanation.

But there _was _an explanation, she forced herself to recognize. Her heart immediately dropped into her stomach at the thought. For years back home, she had fantasized about meeting Legolas, falling in love at first sight, being beautiful enough to be loved at first sight, having to make the impossible decision of whether to stay with the immortal Elf or return to the land of her birth. But when she had actually met Legolas five years ago, he had completely separated himself from the fantasy Legolas. In her imagination, that Legolas would love her was a given. Here… she wasn't sure when she had _truly_ begun to love him. It had been coming on so gradually that when she first realized that her crush, her adoration, had blossomed into deep _love_, it came as a surprise.

And now she was faced with the reality that it was entirely possible for him _not_ to love her. Uncertainty had always caused timidity on her part. Yet timidity in this situation would be a _bad_ thing. Legolas would wonder why she was pulling abruptly out of their friendship. She would lose a valuable bond, something that she had learned she _needed_ to survive in the world, whichever world it was.

So she had stopped worrying about how to act around Legolas. She loved him. That was plain and simple; she acknowledged it. Riley loved Legolas, and as much as it hurt to not have his love in return, she was aware that she had a great deal of both his devotion and affection. He did not find it odd when she held his hand or gave him a hug… or even snuggled up to sleep in his arms when she was lonely. There was nothing in his countenance or stature that implied he was even the slightest bit uncomfortable with this blatant show of affection.

_But then_, she told herself, _that's only because he's seen me do everything like that with Aragorn or Boromir_. _I hug the Hobbits all the time_, _and I even used to hold Arwen's hand sometimes_!

Now, sleeping in his arms had been a stupid move. It didn't matter how close in their friendship they appeared to be, or how little she'd had to supervise her actions thus far. She needed to pull back, if only a little, unless she wanted to find herself staring up at him, head tilted back to receive a kiss that had not been offered. No, at the risk of the stability of their friendship, she _had_ to keep her distance.

_Rule number one_, she recited to herself, _is to only hold his _hand _all the time_. _You don't need a hug every second of the day_. _Rule number two is to only hug him when you're lonely_! _Don't you _dare _throw yourself at him again_. _And rule number three_…

And now she had come to the most important of her rules, one that she had come up with long before she ever came to Middle-Earth. Years of fantasized love and hurt had brought her to the conclusion that…

… _if_ _Legolas _ever _comes to love me as I love him_, _I must end it before it begins_.

_Because one day_, _I will go back home_. _And I couldn't stand it if I knew I left him to die of a broken heart_. _There would be nothing I could do to save him except make myself into two and leave half of me behind_. _It matters that I loved him_. _But it will never be_.

These rules set firmly in mind, Riley turned her attention to the coming battles, and asked herself the same questions of each. A) Was she needed? B) Where should she be? C) Was it safe to interfere?

In the case of Helm's Deep… that would be more a slaughter than anything. She wouldn't be of any help unless her number of attackers was limited to one at a time, so the best place for her would be in the caves with the other women and the children. Perhaps she could help guard the entrance. It was possible that a few Orcs would make it inside before the human and Elf survivors managed to seal the doors; perhaps she could be useful there. Still, she reminded herself, she had to be careful about what she interfered in. She didn't want to be responsible for drastically changing something….

Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli often took turns riding with her. Once, when Gimli was seated behind her, she discussed her precautions with him. His answer was short and gruff. "What makes you think you haven't changed everything just by being here?" he pointed out.

This took Riley aback. Did he mean that she should stop monitoring her own actions and how they affected the war?

No. It wasn't as if he was telling her to go out and start changing anything she liked. "You worry too much for a child," he said. "If it's meant to happen, there's not a thing in the world you can do to stop it, so will you _please_ cease rambling on about how you are single-handedly going to destroy the world?"

Riley shut up about it after that, blinking into the midday sun with a stunned, "Oh."

Later that afternoon, Riley recognized an outcropping of rocks, and rode ahead to allow Oolore a few moments to rest. The horse wandered around in the grass, munching and snorting happily, while Riley limped along behind him, forcing her sore muscles to work and stretch. After a moment, she realized that the ground, which had suddenly become lumpier, was actually littered with monstrous footprints.

Feeling pleased with herself for the discovery, Riley limped faster, scanning the footprints for the clasp of Pippin's Lorien cloak.

"Have you found something?" Aragorn called as he came over the ridge behind her.

"Not yet!" she called back. _It's green and silver_, _and looks like a leaf_… _and if memory serves_, _it should be right about_… "Aha! Found it!" she yelled triumphantly, peeling the clasp out of the mud and turning to show Aragorn, who had come up behind her.

Aragorn examined the leaf hopefully. "Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall…."

Riley grinned up at Legolas, who now joined them. "They may yet be alive."

Aragorn nodded. "Less than a day ahead of us, come!"

Oolore was immediately by Riley's side, kneeling so that she easily swept into the saddle. Legolas called for Gimli to hurry; Gimli grumbled back that dwarves were better spent over short distances. Aragorn ran ahead, and Riley felt like laughing as they resumed the chase. Hurrah for adventures.

Now she could manage to pull back some of the excitement she'd felt at the beginning of all this, when she'd had so little idea of the pain this quest brought with it. Back then, she looked to the future with a naïve anticipation she was almost disgusted with now. But she also hadn't been quite as paranoid about her influence. Gimli's small outburst had brought a sudden change of thought. Everything had a purpose, didn't it? She'd always believed that. So, even her arrival in Middle-Earth had meaning. Perhaps she _had _been meant to change something!

Immediately after this realization came the panicked thought that maybe she'd already failed. She could have been meant to save Boromir! Right away, this thought was dismissed. She would fulfill her purpose without even knowing it… in fact, she might not figure out until years later that she'd done it!

Riley rolled her eyes at herself. Really, what good was a life of worry and paranoia? In any case, she figured life was too short to be pessimistic about the whole thing.

They were still running (or riding) when the sun rose the next morning. The sunrise was bizarrely red, and Legolas noted this, turning ashen features from the garish light. "A red sun rises," he said in a low voice. Riley slowed Oolore so she could hear him; his next words sounded much more ominous than she remembered… "Blood has been spilt this night." Riley shivered, clutching the reins with white-knuckled hands. _Blood_, _silent screams_, _shock_, _inevitable death_…. Her nails bit into the pale flesh of her palms as she forced her thoughts into the logical. _I'll have to ask Aragorn how many arrows it actually took to make death certain_.

This mindset firmly placed, she tugged sharply at Oolore's reins and jabbed him in the sides with her heels. Oolore snorted indignantly at the treatment, reminding her that he was not (or didn't consider himself, anyway) any ordinary horse. _I chose to watch over you_, _and don't you forget it_, he said in an annoyed look. Riley sighed a half-hearted apology and then Oolore began to follow the others, who were already far ahead on the plain.

It was only a few hours later that Aragorn signaled them to duck behind a group of boulders. Riley slipped off of Oolore and bent over, leaning on Legolas's back to keep out of view. Only minutes after they'd hidden, a large group of horse-men thundered past, banners streaming behind them.

As the end of the crowd filtered past, Aragorn came out from hiding and called to them. "Riders from Rohan, what news from the Mark?"

Riley limped out with Legolas and Gimli, sticking close to Aragorn. Unsure of how these new people would react to a woman with so few traveling companions, she pulled the hood of her cloak up, drifting back out of direct view.

The man at the front of the riders, who Riley knew to be Eomer, raised his spear in a signal, and the entire group suddenly pulled a massive u-turn, heading straight back towards the travelers. Within moments, they had been surrounded in an ever-tightening circle. As the riders came to a halt, their spears lowered to keep the travelers locked in the center of the circle, and Eomer pushed his way to the front.

"What business do a Man, two Elves, and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" he demanded, and it took Riley, who was busy noticing that Eomer was pretty, a moment to process what he'd said.

Indignantly, she shoved her hood back to her shoulders, forgetting why she'd put it up in the first place. "I'm _not_ an Elf," she said in annoyance.

Eomer's gaze fixed on her in hardened surprise. "You will forgive me if I doubt your words, but you still have the _appearance_ of an Elf."

Riley made a show of sighing loudly, pulling her hair up, and pointing at her ears. "Happy now?" Eomer's features tightened. Riley shook her head, wanting to sigh again. _Sometimes knowing things is such a drag_… "As for what we're doing here, Aragorn can answer that, I think."

Eomer's eyes snapped back to Aragorn, betraying his surprise. "Aragorn…" he repeated. His eyes flashed and his voice became sharp again. "Who are you?" he asked pointedly to the small group.

Aragorn shot Riley a warning look, but before he could reply, Gimli said coolly, "Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." Riley swallowed. Maybe threatening men who had spears aimed at your head wasn't such a good thing….

Eomer dismounted, saying darkly, "I would cut off your head, _Dwarf_, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."

Immediately, Legolas's bow was up, an arrow pointed at Eomer in defense. "You would die before your stroke fell!" he said angrily.

In response, the surrounding spears came in closer, one of them poking Riley in the back. "Ouch!" she cried, moving forward, closer to her companions.

With one arm, Aragorn pulled Riley in front of him, away from the closest spears, and with the other, he shoved Legolas's bow down. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," he said authoritatively, swiftly taking control of the situation. "This is Gimil, son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland realm, and our friend Riley, who has been traveling with us. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden, your king."

"Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," Eomer said, his voice still strong, but lacking its earlier menace. "Not even his own kin." He removed his helmet, and by then, Riley was sure that the others must realize his identity.

The spears withdrew, pointing to the sky instead of their backs. Aragorn relaxed his grip on Riley's arm. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land," Eomer continued, now sure that he could take the travelers into his confidence. "My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." He stepped closer to Aragorn, lowering his voice. Riley had to tilt her head up to see his face. "The _White Wizard_ is cunning." The horselord glanced from Gimli and Legolas to Aragorn, avoiding Riley altogether. "He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets."

Ah, yes, now she remembered. Riley had forgotten the exact reason that Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli had been suspected in the first place.

"We are not spies," Aragorn said calmly. "If we were, we would not be traveling with an injured woman." Riley wrinkled her nose, about to protest, but the pressure of Aragorn's hand on her arm suggested that she keep her mouth shut. "We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive."

Riley would have praised Eomer's self control had she not been warned to stay silent. He showed concern, but did not seem sorry. "The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night."

At this, Aragorn's hand dropped from her arm, and Gimli moved forward, speaking urgently. "But there were two Hobbits; did you see two Hobbits with them?"

"They would be small, only children to your eyes," Aragorn added hopefully.

Eomer looked truly sorry now, pausing a moment before shaking his head and informing them, "We left none alive." He turned and pointed into the distance at a cloud of billowy smoke. "We piled the carcasses and burned them."

"Dead?" Gimli murmured in disbelief.

Eomer paused briefly, and then nodded. "I am sorry." Glancing at each face again, he reached a hand back and called, "Hasufel! Arod!" Two riderless horses immediately emerged from the pack. Eomer handed the reins to Aragorn. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. I am sorry I cannot spare more. Farewell. Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope," he said bitterly as he mounted his own steed and took up the reins. "It has forsaken these lands."

As Eomer settled himself in the saddle, Riley called to him. It was only right to let him know, she thought. "Eomer!" He turned back to look at her. Riley swallowed, watching him earnestly. "Theodred, your cousin?" A look of pain flickered over his face. Riley tried her best to convey her sympathetic sorrow. "He did not live till this morning," she said softly. "I would have wanted to know."

Her companions froze. The Rohirrim stirred restlessly, but was, for the most part, silent.

Eomer seemed to struggle to speak. "How do you know this?" he finally managed to ask.

Riley's mouth closed and she pressed her lips together, unsure of how to answer. She was still trying to decide what to say when Aragorn gently took her by the elbow and whistled for Oolore, who was suddenly with them. Aragorn overexaggerated her injuries and fairly lifted her into the saddle, twisting the reigns into her right hand and giving the illusion that she couldn't have quite managed it herself. _Why is he making me look so stupid_? she thought angrily, frowning at the man.

Aragorn ignored her sour look, climbing into his own saddle. "If they are there, we do not want to leave them waiting much longer," he said. He nodded once to Eomer, who seemed to decide against pursuing the subject any farther, and called to his men that they would ride north. With that, the two groups set out in opposite directions.

All the way to the site of the fire, Riley grumbled to herself. She just wanted to let Eomer know about the death of his cousin! He already knew that he was going to die, but how on earth was his supposed to find out the details if she didn't tell him? It would be a week before he had the chance to talk to Theoden or Eowyn again.

She was still griping to herself when they arrived at the edge of Fangorn Forest, where the Uruk-hai carcasses had been burned. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli dismounted easily and immediately began going over the site. Once again, Riley slid out of her saddle and limped after her friends. She caught up to Aragorn, telling him, "You know, I may not belong here, but I know what I'm doing. You don't have to always treat me like a child, Aragorn."

Aragorn peeled his eyes from the bodies to look at her. "When you stop treating yourself like a child, and no longer remind us verbally that you are not a child, I will stop treating you as one." He gave her a pointed look and then brushed past her and headed toward the smoking carcasses.

Contrary to her argument, Riley mentally rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. _Blah blah blah_, _my name's Aragorn_, _blah blah blah_.

As she caught up to the others, Gimli was already using his axe to sift through the smoldering heap, looking for any clues. It suddenly occurred to Riley how discouraged the others must feel. She wasn't the least bit worried for Merry and Pippin's safety; she'd known this would happen all along. But Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli, who had hoped to have some small chance of saving the two Hobbits…

Gimli picked something up from the pile and held it up for them to see. "It's one of their wee belts," he said quietly.

Legolas closed his eyes, murmuring, "Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath."

Riley bit her lip to keep from telling them right away that their friends were all right as Aragorn yelled in frustration, kicked an Orc helmet across the clearing, and collapsed to his knees. Riley vaguely hoped that he hadn't broken a toe.

"We failed them," Gimli said mournfully. Riley winced.

But Aragorn had already begun to read the tracks in the ground. It started out as more observation, as if he simply wanted to know what had happened to the Hobbits in their final moments. "A Hobbit lay here," he said, motioning to one patch of ground, then the spot next to it, "and the other." He moved automatically, following the trail as it became apparent to him. "They crawled. Their hands were bound… their bonds were cut." His pace quickened. "They ran over here… they were followed." Aragorn raced along the trail, speaking with excitement. "The tracks lead away from the battle," he exclaimed, but his tone immediately darkened as he realized _where_ the trail had led him, "into the Fangorn Forest."

"Fangorn!" Gimli said in alarm, joining Aragorn in staring up into the forest. "What madness drew them there?"

Riley looked sideways at Legolas. As soon as he looked back, she jumped and stared determinably at the forest. _We're off to see the wizard_…

**A/N:** Human emotions are such bizarre things. They take the most random and opposite turns when you least expect it. In Riley's case, Boromir's death brought on an optimistic, almost mechanical, methodical determination. Attribute this to "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" music during my camping trip. Ha!

In any case, life is too short to be pessimistic about the whole thing.

If you want to know how things are going behind the scenes, join my Yahoo!Group at http/ groups.yahoo . com / group / travelers(underscore)universe /

Hope to see you there!


	43. It Begins

**A/N**: You know, I could make about a million excuses, most of which you've seen if you've been to my profile within the last year, but that would take up space… and I think you all just want to get right back into the story. Suffice it to say that I've had a very difficult couple of years, and I'm so very sorry that I didn't update sooner. Thanks SO MUCH to those of you that are still sticking around, and to those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about… welcome, and enjoy your stay!

And also, actually… happy 5th anniversary!

* * *

Previously:

_But Aragorn had already begun to read the tracks in the ground. It started out as more observation, as if he simply wanted to know what had happened to the Hobbits in their final moments. "A Hobbit lay here," he said, motioning to one patch of ground, then the spot next to it, "and the other." He moved automatically, following the trail as it became apparent to him. "They crawled. Their hands were bound… their bonds were cut." His pace quickened. "They ran over here… they were followed." Aragorn raced along the trail, speaking with excitement. "The tracks lead away from the battle," he exclaimed, but his tone immediately darkened as he realized where the trail had led him, "into the Fangorn Forest."_

_"Fangorn!"__ Gimli said in alarm, joining Aragorn in staring up into the forest. "What madness drew them there?"_

* * *

Riley pinched her lips together and gave Legolas's back a triumphant stare. However different their feelings for each other might be, it made her at least able to feel her importance to him when he allowed her to persuade him. In this case, she had nearly been forbidden to accompany her friends into Fangorn Forest. Legolas attempted to point out that not only was the forest a dangerous place, a home to dark tales, but she was injured and could hardly walk but for Oolore.

As a response, Riley pointed out that he was suggesting she stay by herself in an unfamiliar and hostile land. Point taken. Aragorn raised his eyebrows and turned back to the forest, staying out of it and allowing Legolas to handle her as usual. Gimli grunted at her, which Riley chose to interpret as amusement, and Legolas… well, Legolas gave her the same serene look as always, but Riley knew she'd won her case. He'd much rather keep an eye on her in certain danger than leave her alone and injured… in certain danger.

_You listen to me_, she thought at him. _I like that about you_.

She had managed to talk her way into the forest, but unfortunately, she'd been obliged to leave Oolore behind. For the most part, though, this didn't bother her. She was able to limp fast enough to keep up with the others, and was well aware that there was no need to worry for her safety. The only creature that was near enough to cause harm was one she was expecting, and the trees… well, if she got on the tree's nerves, that would be another story all together.

So intent was she in making sure she kept up, that Riley hardly noticed when Legolas muttered something to Aragorn and they began speaking in hushed, worried tones. Suddenly, the usual soft groaning of the trees grew, reverberating under her feet. Riley spun around in time to see Gimli draw his axe into a ready position. She winced and hissed, "Gimli, are you stupid? Do you think these trees don't see?" at the same time that Aragorn demanded, "Gimli, lower your axe!"

A look of realization came over the dwarf's face and he immediately dropped the axe to waist level. The groan of the trees died back down, but did not entirely dissipate.

Riley continued her hobbling forward, vaguely recalling the translation to the Elvish that Aragorn and Legolas were now speaking rapidly to one another. She had just made it close to Legolas when he reached out and gently nudged her toward a tree, whispering, "The White Wizard approaches…"

Riley leaned back against the tree, gripping the bark nervously. With subtle nods to each other, the others formed a small line, readying themselves to face whatever would come. Aragorn muttered, "Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us."

_That sounds a little superstitious_, _but I suppose it's true_, Riley thought to herself.

"We must be quick," Aragorn gave his last warning.

Riley huddled against the bark…

And the warriors spun around, raising their weapons. Legolas fired an arrow, and Gimli sent an axe hurtling through the air towards the white figure that seemed to spring from the very air. The light from the sun reflected sharply off the figure, blinding the four who looked upon him. Riley physically jerked away from the light, tripping backward over a root of the tree and stumbling to the ground.

With a groan, she pulled herself back to her feet and peeked around the tree just in time to almost catch an axe to the head. With a yelp, she sprang the other way, caught her foot on the same root, and crashed to the ground.

Nobody was paying attention to her, however. The white wizard, whose voice was strong and deep and intimidating, thundered that the travelers should not fear for their Hobbit friends. Riley snorted when the wizard said the Hobbits had met someone they did not expect. Didn't expect was putting it mildly.

But she wisely kept her mouth shut, recognizing the relevance of the situation, even for her. Her heart was pounding with excitement. _Gandalf, Gandalf, Gandalf_! Boromir's… passing had overwhelmed her senses so much that Gandalf's "death" hadn't been nearly as much on her thoughts lately.

Aragorn, fearful of a spell being placed on them all, shouted for the wizard to show himself. Immediately, the wizard stepped forward so that he blocked the sun instead of reflecting it. Riley was grateful that she was already sprawled on the ground for the moment of weakness that passed her. It was so… _inspiring_ to see him again!

Happy beyond belief, Riley once again pushed herself to her feet and rushed past her kneeling friends, throwing her arms around Gandalf as soon as she reached him and laughing.

The wizard did not ask questions, so Riley just kept her arms around his waist and her head on his chest as if she were leaning on her father. When Aragorn had recovered enough to climb to his feet, Riley grinned at him like a mad hatter.

"You fell," Aragorn said hoarsely.

Gandalf's eyes darkened in recollection. "Through fire… and water," he acknowledged as the memories crept back.

Until they finally left the forest, Riley kept close to Gandalf, falling into the old habit of holding onto his arm as they walked. She only half listened while Gandalf explained the situation in Rohan, focusing instead on the happiness of having one friend back from the dead.

Suddenly, Gandalf paused in his stride. "Merry and Pippin told me that Frodo left on his own to continue the quest, but there was too much to be done to ask questions. Is this true?"

Aragorn nodded. "Sam also went with him."

The wizard's mouth twitched. "Of course. It is never an easy task to separate a loyal servant from his master, even when the master wishes it!" He chuckled to himself, and Riley found it bitterly amusing to know how right he was. "But what about Boromir?" Gandalf continued, and the others immediately looked to Riley.

_Probably wondering if Gandalf's resurrection isn't the only one they're to witness_, she thought bitterly. For the first time since it had happened, she just had to say it. "He… Boromir was… he died at Amon Hen." To speak the words took more strength than she thought she possessed, and to watch the deep sadness creep into Gandalf's eyes was almost more than she could bear. Her chest constricted, her eyes stung from the sudden tears that threatened to spill over. Wearily, she laid her head on Gandalf's shoulder and hugged his arm tightly. After a moment had passed, she lifted her head up again and forced herself to flash a bright smile at the wizard. "He was defending his friends," she said warmly. "He would not have had it any other way." Something in Gandalf's eyes settled, as if he had feared that the man had broken and betrayed them all. He patted her shoulder firmly.

"We should not delay any longer," the wizard said, and once again, they moved toward the edge of the forest.

Riley had to squint as they stepped back out into the sunlight. _Funny how easily we forget what the light looks like_.

Gandalf gently pulled his arm out of her grasp, holding it out as if he welcomed the open air. Riley watched in fascination as the wizard whistled, the low pitch reverberating off the sloping hills as if it could reach the ocean and beyond.

It was only a moment before their horses galloped into view, and they were all off to Edoras. Riley could hardly keep from hugging herself tightly as they neared the city. It must have been a tactical advantage to build their capital on the top of a mountain, she supposed, because it certainly couldn't have been done for any other reason. The chilling winds howled around her ears and bit through her clothes, a very different cold than Caradhras had been, but cold nonetheless.

And the wind hardly lessened as they entered the gates of the city. For a moment, while they were still in the walls' shelter, Riley could feel the sun's warmth. That moment passed far too quickly, however, and Riley was again left to wonder how the people of Rohan lived like this.

As they reached the Golden Hall, Riley stared up at the guards as Legolas helped her down from Oolore's back. "They all look the same," she muttered to the Elf.

Legolas pointed out, "You say the same about Elves." They grinned at each other, walking after Aragorn and Gandalf and Gimli up the steps.

"I think it's the long hair that throws me," she continued, lowering her voice even more to keep the guards from over-hearing and throwing her off the platform.

Legolas gave a playful little tug to one of the strands of hair that had fallen from her ponytail. "You blend in, at least."

Riley suppressed a smile a smile and batted his hand away. "Why, because I have manly features and long hair?" Legolas's eyes sparkled with mirth. Riley pursed her lips to keep from grinning. The guards probably wouldn't take them seriously if she did. "Go help Mithrandir, Leaf," she commanded sternly.

Legolas gave her a last amused look before moving to obey, allowing the wizard to lean on him as if he needed the help. They were all disarmed before being allowed into the Hall, and true to canon, their guard, Hama, allowed Gandalf to keep his 'walking stick.'

Riley trailed behind her friends as they entered the Hall, very much aware that if one of the guards came at her, the best chance she would have would be to escape to the side of the room to remain unnoticed. Given that her limbs were still stiff from their latest 'traumatic episode,' and the tiny fact that when it came down to it, she was no warrior, she guessed that the only thing she would accomplish by actually fighting was exacerbating her injuries further.

"The courtesy of your Hall is somewhat lessened of late, Theoden-King," Gandalf commented mildly as they approached the hunched figure at the head of the Hall.

Wormtongue, who crouched next to the throne and clung to it like a parasite, was already whispering in the king's ear, influencing every word that came from his mouth. "Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" the old man croaked, looking to Wormtongue for confirmation.

"A just question, my liege," Grima crooned, his voice sliding through the air like oil. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. _Lathspell_ spell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest." He smirked, dangerously close to Gandalf.

The wizard answered sharply, not at all ready to listen to the advisor. "Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!"

Riley grinned. _Go, Gandalf_! she cheered silently. _My friends are _so _cool_.

As Gandalf raised his staff to ward off evil, Wormtongue leapt back, wailing at the guards, "His staff! I _told_ you to take the wizard's staff!"

The hostile guards immediately moved to intercept the travelers. Riley backed away from the action, hoping to escape and let her friends handle it, but someone grabbed her roughly from behind. Hands grasped her arms, her cloak, and her hair, pulling her back and to the ground… and then suddenly, they were gone, and Hama and Gamling were lifting her back to her feet and pulling her out of harm's way.

Huddled against a wall with Rohirrim guards standing… well, _guard_ around her, Riley watched as Gandalf approached the throne.

"Hearken to me! I release you from this spell," the wizard said simply.

The old man, who could rightfully be called a _thing_, chuckled hoarsely, sounding as if his wheezing breaths passed several obstacles in his throat. Gandalf almost looked startled when the king hissed menacingly, "You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey!" Riley pressed her lips together to keep from laughing.

Gandalf threw his cloak off, revealing his blindingly white robes. The king was thrown against the back of his throne.

An idea struck Riley. What if they got information out of this possessed host? Couldn't so many of their problems be avoided if they had just heard about it before it had happened? "Gandalf," she interrupted quietly, "maybe you should just leave him alone for a little bit, and…"

"Riley," Gandalf warned.

But Riley continued, convinced that if he just _listened_… "But if you leave him alone for just a minute, maybe you can get him to talk to you and…"

"Riley!" Aragorn and the wizard both snapped.

She jerked involuntarily, forcing a frustrated frown onto her face to hide the childish hurt. _Fine, then don't interrogate him_! she thought angrily. _Don't blame me for not warning you about a _massacre. She jumped in surprise when Legolas took her elbow. "Let them help these people. You know they would not steer them wrong."

Riley shook her head despondently and sighed. She wondered vaguely if the Elves were going to come to the Rohirrim's help at Helm's Deep, like they had in the movie, or if the men were on their own.

"If I go, Theoden dies," the decrepit creature on the throne ground out.

Riley snorted quietly. _Not bloody likely_, she wanted to say, but kept her lips pressed shut instead.

When all was said and done, the exorcism left an uncomfortable feeling in the air, but was finished fairly quickly, and soon, the king was recognizing the beautiful young woman who supported him as his niece, and turning his attention to his sniveling advisor, who was still pinned to the ground by Gimli and his axe.

Legolas gripped Riley's elbow and led her out the door, following the king who had, with surprising strength given the condition he had been in only moments ago, dragged Wormtongue by the collar outside and thrown him down the stone steps. Riley could recall feeling sorry for him once upon a time, but looking down at the dripping, oozing man now, she couldn't remember why. When he begged, he gave her the briefest glimpse of what Boromir could have become, had he allowed the want for power to dominate his life. And it disgusted her. Lips curling in a grimace, she folded her arms across her chest, and glancing around, realized that she'd finally managed to join in the general sentiment of the moment. Everyone around her was just as disgusted, and for once, she didn't have some hidden reason for feeling differently.

It was when Grima had been allowed to run off, and Theoden turned back to the crowd, searching for his son, that Riley's stomach dropped into her feet, and she wanted to hide behind Legolas. The unhappy responsibility of explaining Theodred's death fell to Eowyn, who approached him cautiously, but ran to the king when his face crumbled and he fell to his knees, wailing with a loss that echoed along the city walls. Riley turned and pressed her face against Legolas's shoulder. His arms crept around her to rub her back comfortingly.

They attended the funeral out of respect, but it was the last place Riley wanted to be. To be surrounded by people who were mourning only reminded her of the pain she had been trying to push away. How long had it been now? A week? Maybe not even?

Riley realized something very suddenly: she wanted to go home. Somewhere along the way, she had stopped trying to call Middle-Earth home, had accepted the fact that it simply _wasn't_. It didn't mean that Middle-Earth had somehow become less dear to her, but when it came down to it, at the end of the day, she _wanted_ to go back.

_Finding your path in life,_ she thought numbly, _isn't something that just goes away. We struggle with it, no matter what time, age, or world we find ourselves in._ She glanced sideways at Gandalf. _He is the oldest, wisest, and surest person that I know besides the Elves. But his path is uncertain too_.

She'd always somehow seen her problems as more important than everyone else's. Not bigger... just more important. It had hit her suddenly, like a semi-truck barreling down the freeway. Her problems didn't even qualify for the term "problem." She had always said that she fully understood that. But she hadn't, really. The overwhelming weight of a war for an entire _world_ pressed newly onto her shoulders, and she suddenly realized how truly insignificant her personal issues were.

And just like that, all those problems that had held her back and caused her so much grief disappeared. She had very nearly turned to leave, something that would probably be taken as disrespect. But she paused, allowing this sudden freedom to flow over her. For the first time in her relatively short life, she truly understood that she was _meant_ to be there. And if she had a mission to complete, it didn't do any good to stress over what that mission was. She would find it, and complete it, and everything else she did would fit in with the rest of the world's purpose. It was all connected. It was all planned.

It was all right.

Though, granted, that didn't mean everything would go _smoothly_. As she followed everyone else as they trooped back up the hill, she finally noticed the flowers that were scattered over the Rohirrim graves, and she reached up to touch the pendant on her necklace. Simbelmyne. Her purpose. Almost identical.

She and Legolas had hardly made it through the city gates when Gandalf went barreling past them on his way to the stables. Legolas made to turn around, but Riley tugged on his sleeve, pulling him toward the Hall. "There are children coming," she explained very simply, "and they need soup."

By the time Gandalf breezed through the doors behind them, carrying the boy, Eothain, with little Freda clutching at his robes, Riley and Legolas had managed to scrounge up some thick blankets, and a few of the staff were carrying in trays laden with soup and bread. Riley wrapped one of the blankets around Freda, scooping the little girl up in her arms and settling her in her lap at the table. Eothain was propped up next to them, and Eowyn tucked a blanket around him, pulling a bowl of soup in front of him. In low tones, she gently pulled the story from the boy and then turned to relate it to the others.

"They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the wildmen are moving through the westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot and tree."

Riley removed a leaf from the little girl's hair before stroking the back of her head. Freda sniffled and ducked her head toward her soup.

"Aww," Riley said softly. "Don't cry, dearheart. You'll be reunited with your mother sooner than you think."

"Woman," Eowyn whispered behind her, low enough that the child couldn't hear, and Riley recognized it as an address, as the other woman must not know her name. Riley cocked her head to show she was listening. "You should not give them false hope. It is cruel."

Riley frowned and turned fully around to stare at the woman. "It's not false," she said slowly, as if she were humoring the incompetence. The children watched fearfully. "I happen to know that it will not be long before they will be with their mother again."

Eowyn matched her tone. "You cannot know that. To give them false hope is…"

"Cruel, yes," Riley cut her off, "and I agree. But I _do_ know, and I want them to feel _better_ about this situation."

Eowyn opened her mouth to reply, but a quick, "Eowyn," from Theoden made her keep quiet. The king stared at the air in front of him pensively.

Gandalf watched him. "This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent, for he is driven mad by fear of Sauron," he said carefully. He took a deep breath, and then pressed his point on the king. "Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You _must_ fight."

Aragorn chimed in, sensing the need to make the king understand what must be done. "You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak. Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."

Theoden shook his head, a fierce hopelessness giving a manic gleam to his eyes. "They will be three hundred leagues from here by now! Eomer cannot help us." He stared the others. "I know what it is you want of me. But I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

"Open war is upon you," Aragorn exclaimed, "whether you would risk it or not!" Once upon a time, Riley would have nodded fervently with Aragorn, thinking that it was ridiculous for the king to be so staunch is his refusal to do that right thing. Having seen the state he had been in first hand, however, she was now able to understand a bit better how useless he must be feeling. He had been unable to help his people for so long, and from some point of view, had allowed their situation to become so pathetic, that he must be desperately scrambling to grasp how to protect his people from all further harm.

So when he turned hard eyes to Aragorn, Riley knew that it was out of an almost childish defensiveness that he stated coldly, "When last I looked, Theoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."

Gandalf, again, carefully pressed him for a follow-through. "Then what is the king's decision?"

Tempers were still running high, nerves stretched thin, later that evening when the males gathered together to discuss Rohan's place in the war, and the imminent threat of Saruman's Uruk-hai.

Riley bit the inside of her cheek absently. These people certainly did a lot more talking than she remembered. Maybe if she'd been able to follow half of the conversation about lineage and war strategy, she would have had more of an interest. She tried to get it; really, she did, but by the time she made the connection between how Theoden's father met Gandalf and the politics of the time, they had moved on to a connection one hundred years before that.

Blinking tiredly, she leaned back against a beam.

"Riley," Gandalf said shortly, "if you are not able to pay attention, please find something else to occupy your time."

Jerking wide awake, Riley frowned at the wizard, who had already turned back to the discussion. Finally, they had pulled out a map, and Theoden was being briefed on what had changed in the time that he had been Saruman's prisoner. Riley moved closer, squeezing her way in-between Aragorn and Legolas to take a look… and accidentally dumped some of her drink onto the parchment.

She spouted an immediate apology, using her sleeve to soak up some of the liquid. Gandalf gave her an annoyed look that resembled the look he often threw at Pippin. "I'm sorry," she repeated quietly.

Gandalf sighed heavily, walked clear around the table, took Riley by the elbow, and pulled her toward the door. "Riley, _please_ retire for the night."

Riley tried to tell herself that he was right. She was exhausted, and hardly helpful. It wasn't as if she had a valuable opinion to offer when she still knew next to nothing about the world she was in.

She told herself all these things, but still couldn't keep from feeling hurt by the brush off. Gandalf had never been so brusque with her.

Too embarrassed to look around the room, Riley quickly exited to find Eowyn seated on a bench in the meeting hall, flipping through a book. She looked up when she heard Riley entered the room, and for a moment, the two women simply stared at each other.

"May I help you find something?" the Rohirrim woman finally asked, standing politely.

"Uh…" Riley drew a blank. She rubbed at her eyes.

"A place to sleep, perhaps?" Eowyn suggested, amusement lacing her words.

Not in the mood for humor, Riley nearly glared at the woman. Gritting her teeth, she replied, "Uh, yeah. That's what I was told to do."

Eowyn set her book aside. "All right then. This way." She led Riley through a door to one side of the throne and down a well-lit hallway. Typical of her character, after a couple of turns, Riley was thoroughly lost.

Eowyn led her first to her own room, where she shuffled through a wardrobe and immerged bearing a nightgown and simple dress that Riley could borrow. She then took a few more turns down the corridors and opened the door to a simple, comfortable guest room, where she draped the clothes across the end of the bed. "Gandalf does not often bring companions when he visits my uncle, though I have heard stories of the skirmishes that follow him. You must have seen many great battles while in the company of Stormcrow."

Riley blinked absently, her mind so exhausted that she recognized so few of the other woman's references that she could've almost said that she would understand Elvish more readily. Unfortunately, whereas in that situation, she could've relied on Aragorn or Legolas, or even Frodo, to be able to translate for her, she found herself alone with only the mumbo-jumbo speaker. She didn't want to seem rude, but… "What?"

Eowyn simply blinked back at her. "You are a warrior traveling with your companions, are you not?" she tried.

The traveler choked back a laugh. "Oh no," she replied, humor ringing in her words. "I'm one of those poor helpless, troublesome females who cost more than they're worth."

The other woman stared at her in confusion. "But… your weapons… and you have scars! You walk with a limp. Surely, you must have been in a fierce battle…"

"What, you've never had an injury that wasn't caused by battle?" Riley asked, becoming annoyed. Eowyn frowned at her, and finally, Riley rolled her eyes. "I fell out of a tree and landed on my horse," she explained, unwilling to look at the Rohirrim woman.

"You… fell," Eowyn clarified.

"Yes," Riley replied impatiently, "I have a bad history with trees. So sue me." She glanced up at Eowyn to find her giving her a look that clearly said she thought Riley was an idiot. Riley began to feel a glare coming on. "At least my uncle hasn't ever been possessed by an evil wizard," she grumbled just loud enough that Eowyn overheard. The angered look on her face prompted Riley to add loudly, "And I can make soup! Who cares about the stupid tree?"

"I can make soup!" Eowyn exclaimed indignantly.

"Ha!"

Eowyn's hands flew to her hips. "How did you manipulate them into letting you tag along in their quest, hm? It couldn't have been through simple means, I'm sure."

Riley gasped. "Oh my…" she sputtered. "You and Boromir both, good Lord!" Her voice became shrill as she made a last ditch effort to wipe the smug look off Eowyn's face. "Well at least I don't have to live my whole life knowing that my brother's hotter than I am! Er… that means handsome! Eomer's hotter than you, and everyone knows it!"

Eowyn huffed and snatched the dress off the bed. "Then I think you'll have to make do without my dress. I'm sure the Elf will find a trouser-clad woman attractive!"

Riley flushed. "Gaw, you're worse than Haldir."

Eowyn stormed from the room, and Riley called after her, "One day you'll be a trouser-clad woman too! We'll see how much you like it then!" She could hear Eowyn grumbling all the way down the hall.

Riley smacked her door shut and turned back to the bed. Eowyn had taken the nightgown too. Riley sighed. "Crap."

The next morning, she ignored the knock at the door and snuggled further into her pillow. Again, there was a knock. Riley shifted further down under the sheets.

A second later, she twitched. After a moment, the covers heated around her new position, and she was deep asleep again. Her subconscious, though, picked up on something that had changed, and she cracked an eye open.

"I must ask you," Gandalf said from where he was seated at the edge of her bed, "to please exercise a bit more tact around our hosts, as they have good reason to doubt strangers as of late. I would not have you throw yourself out of Rohan for as simple a matter as cheek."

Riley cracked the other eye open and frowned.

The wizard chuckled, reaching out to push her hair out of her face. "There, there. Times are dark enough without you worrying about something else. Just learn to live, Riley. You are in this world, and no matter how much it seems like it, you are not of it. You were never _of _it." He patted her head once more, and then quietly slipped back through the door.

Riley blinked absently after him, something that she seemed to be doing a lot lately. Were all those words supposed to mean something to her this early in the morning? But she smelled breakfast, and immediately her stomach rumbled. _Yum_.

She had to peel her hair off her face and tie it back, and figure out how the simple dress that had mysteriously reappeared at the end of the bed was supposed to fit, but all of two minutes later, she was out the door and following the smell.

Riley had never been good with directions. The second time she passed a mural of the man astride the chestnut horse, she thought the Rohirrim and their obsession with horses was a little weird, and perhaps just the slightest bit inappropriate. By the fifth time, she began to think that maybe she was passing the same picture over and over. The seventh time, she was sure of it.

Hearing footsteps approach, Riley quickly turned to the tapestry and pretended to be studying it.

"You are, perhaps," the familiar melodic voice said in amusement, "the only person I have ever met who does not have any instinctual sense of direction at all."

Riley's lips tried their very best to curl into a wide grin, but she firmly kept them in a serious line. "Oh," she said, feigning surprise to see Legolas smiling indulgently at her. "Hello! I, um… I find this picture fascinating."

Legolas chuckled, and again, Riley was tempted to grin. "That much is obvious, given how many times you have come back to see it within the past few minutes." Riley flushed pink, and Legolas laughed outright. "There, I was sent to find you anyway. We all know how easily you get lost, and the lady Eowyn did not seem entirely pleased at being given the task of saving you."

Riley cringed. "Yeah… Eowyn and I didn't get off to the greatest start, did we?"

Legolas offered her his arm, which she took automatically. "I do not know exactly what was said, only that she appears more than a little frustrated with herself."

"Herself?" Riley frowned. "But I'm the one who was rude!"

Legolas's fond smile did not falter. "A cultural misunderstanding, perhaps."

"More like we were both tired and got annoyed with each other." She blinked in surprise as they reached an open doorway that led to the dining room. Seriously, she'd been two minutes away this whole time?

"Well," Legolas lowered his voice so that the others in the room could not hear, "I am sure that you will find a way to become friends in no time."

Riley smiled ruefully at him and allowed herself to be led to the table.

First thing after breakfast, the guard named Hama made the announcement, for the city to hear, that they were all to pack only what they needed to sustain themselves, and to prepare for the journey to Helm's Deep. They were given until the next day.

With preparations underway, Riley found ways to help out here and there. She occasionally ran into her friends, or some of the guard that she was familiar with, but for the most part, they spent their time in the Hall planning… manly things. Or something. It was exhilarating, she found, to be doing something apart from them. She was so accustomed to staying on a certain path, letting her friends decide what to do next, that she'd forgotten what it was like to creating her own path. She _enjoyed_ helping these people, and wondered if this were something she could do more of during the rest of her life.

She was helping a woman named Ehotan to load a small cart with her provisions when Gandalf flew through the doors of the Great Hall and down the steps, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli following closely. Riley watched their haste with mild interest, knowing what was going on, and not bothering to think much about it. Ehotan followed their movement as well, and shot a worried look at Riley. Riley smiled reassuringly and reached for the next basket.

A moment after the travelers entered the stables, Gandalf and Shadowfax burst back through the door, making to charge away. Gandalf pulled to a halt when saw Riley, glancing at Ehotan and the cart, and then smiling warmly at his friend. "Good girl," he said softly, and then he and Shadowfax had started off again, this time flying down the streets and out the gate in a matter of seconds.

For the remainder of the day, Riley wandered from house to house, helping people pack, and explaining to some why they should not bring their family heirlooms with them. Eothain and Freda joined her around midday, and Eothain took to assisting with far too serious a countenance for a child. Freda mostly clung to Riley's tunic and helped with little things. By the end of the day, Riley's shoulder and leg, which had been stiff that morning, were beginning to ache sharply, and she gratefully sank into a chair in the dining room back at the Hall for dinner. Torches were lit after the dinner hour, and people continued with their packing. Freda and Eothain were yawning, though, so Riley took them back to their room and made sure they were tucked in properly. She told them about Bilbo's birthday party, and nearly fell asleep herself near the end. She didn't have a chance to change before she sank onto her bed and into unconsciousness.

She awoke the next morning to find Freda peeking over the side of the bed at her, Legolas standing just behind her, looking as though he were going to laugh. For the briefest moment, the little girl's identity escaped her, and looking between her and the Elf behind her, Riley suddenly wondered if she could have skipped ten years without knowing it. But Freda's little face popped up over the edge of the bed as she made to climb up next to her, and Riley's brain finally caught up. Freda curled up on the pillow next to her and reached out to play with her hair. "Are we going to Momma today?" she asked.

"Yes," Riley replied sleepily. "We're going to have to travel for a while, and have an adventure along the way, but we'll get there sooner or later, and then it will all be okay. Beside the adventure we'll have when we get there, of course."

Freda's lips pressed together thoughtfully, and Riley took the opportunity to smile "good morning" at Legolas. "Eothain," Freda said slowly, as if she were piecing together before she vocalized it, "says… that Rohan is going to fall. He says we will never see Papa or Momma again." Her little lips sank into an unhappy pout.

Riley and Legolas exchanged concerned frowns, and Legolas slipped from the room silently. Riley pushed the little girl's hair away from her face. "Can I tell you a secret?" she whispered. Freda nodded seriously and scootched closer. Riley smiled. "The battle at Helm's Deep will be loud and scary, but you and your mother and your brother will be very, very safe in the caves underneath. And a few weeks after Helm's Deep, the war will be over, and there will be peace for a very long time." Freda's eyes widened dramatically and her mouth went into an 'O.' Riley had to laugh.

"But what about Papa?" Freda pressed.

Riley chewed her bottom lip. "Where is your papa now?"

"He was banished. If he was banished, will he be far away from harm?"

Riley blinked. "Banished… is he one of Eomer's men?" Freda nodded earnestly, anxious for an answer, and Riley had to think a moment before she answered. "I don't know if your papa will be okay. But I do know that he saves us all at Helm's Deep." She smiled encouragingly, and Freda visibly latched onto the latter statement, grinning widely and burrowing into her pillow.

The mountain city was a massive, panicking flurry of last-minute packing and loading. Most of the men wore pinched expressions and a deep frown; the women, nearly every single one of them, were making themselves small with sorrow. Riley was hard pressed to keep the despair from touching her – or, she realized as they left the city gates, the children. Eothain's strength waned soon enough, but he insisted on helping with as much as he could. Even Freda chipped in with what she was able. The sun was just rising above the hills as the last of the Rohirrim left the gates.

There were the obligatory few on horseback, but most of the riders had been banished with Eomer, so most people were walking and pulling their own carts. Riley stuck close to Eothain and Freda, who rose on their own horse, but she walked for the most part, and allowed one of the men to take Oolore on a patrol of the line.

Riley looked around her at the sea of faces, wondering vaguely which ones would make it through the battle ahead. According to her memory, hardly any of the men that she saw around her would see their homes again…

"Riley," a soft voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and she turned to find Eowyn at her side, looking at her hesitatingly.

"Oh! Umm… hi," she sputtered, suddenly very aware of how she had behaved the other night.

Eowyn smiled, and Riley could see why she was considered such a beauty. It wasn't just that her golden hair glowed in the sun, or that her eyes sparkled lightly and her cheeks were rosy. But the strength and intelligence that literally rang through the air around her was what really struck Riley as beautiful. "Hello," Eowyn answered, obviously amused by Riley's nervous reaction. "I wanted to thank you for your kindness in assisting my people with their preparations for our journey. It was very good of you." She paused. "And… I had hoped to speak with you about my behavior the other night."

Riley stared. _Her_ behavior? "No, Eowyn, it's all right. I mean, we'd both had really long days, we were tired… and honestly, I'm always frustrated when I get kicked out of meetings. It wasn't fair of me to take it out on you."

Eowyn's eyes twinkled. "And do you get 'kicked out' of meetings often, then?"

Riley grinned back at her, thinking for a moment. "Not meetings, actually. I'm usually allowed in those. I get kicked out of dangerous adventures sometimes, though. Now, granted, with this meeting, I did spill my drink on their map, so…"

Eowyn laughed, the easy companionship beginning to become tangible. "During the first meeting I was allowed to attend, I had a bit of a fit." Riley gave her a confused look, and Eowyn smiled secretively. "It was the simblemyne. They do not only grow on the graves of our forebears, but are used to symbolize remembrance of them in official advising sessions, so the room was filled with them. I have never reacted… _well_ to them."

Riley laughed when she realized what Eowyn was saying. "I hate allergies! I can't eat strawberries, and they're my favorite fruit!" Both women chuckled comfortably.

They walked in quietly for a few moments before Eowyn broke the silence. "Can I really not make soup?"

Riley burst out laughing. "Oh, Eowyn," she grinned, reaching for the other woman's hand and giving it a squeeze. "No one's perfect."

It turned out that by being very honest with Eowyn about her cooking, Riley had unintentionally done away with Eowyn's excuse for approaching Aragorn. Although this wasn't necessarily a bad thing given Eowyn's inconvenient fixation with him, Riley couldn't help but feel sorry for what she'd denied her new friend, so when they all settled down that evening for supper, she invited her over to join their little group. And thus, Eowyn found out exactly how old the Future King of Everything was, and she sank quietly into herself to think about it later on that evening.

She and Legolas lay side by side near Eothain and Freda as they fell asleep leaning against Oolore, who had curled up on the ground peacefully. When they had finally drifted off, Riley turned over to look at Legolas. "You went to see Eothain this morning," she stated quietly.

Legolas gave her a small nod. "He had frightened his sister," he murmured.

"But he was frightened himself. He'd lost hope."

"Yes," he said softly, eyes searching her face. "But you said that he should not. And that is good enough for me."

Riley grinned. "I think the way I talk is rubbing off on you."

Legolas laughed softly, reaching out to brush her hair away from her face and pull her cloak tighter around her. "It is easier to speak in a way you might understand."

"Hmm," Riley murmured, eyes drifting shut. "All for me." The world seemed to sink away.

"All for you."

She had grass stuck to her cheek when she woke up, and for hours afterward, she could still feel the imprint in her skin, but she somehow still managed to feel beautiful when Legolas beamed at her before heading out to scout in front of the line.

"Will we see Momma today?" Freda asked halfway through the day.

"Depends," Riley answered. "Are we going to reach Helm's Deep today?"

Freda nodded seriously. "Yes, I think so."

Riley laughed. "Well then you'll see your momma today."

That must have been the moment when Hama was attacked over the next hill by the warg rider, because a second later, Riley heard Legolas's voice, suddenly seeming so far away, calling for arms, and Aragorn raced from the ridge of the hill back down towards the Rohirrim people. "Orcs!" he yelled. "We're under attack."

"All riders to the head of the column!" Theoden ordered, and everyone sprang into action. Riley snagged the reins of the horse bearing the children to keep it from bolting in the excitement, and her shoulder stung. For a moment, Riley puzzled over why she had forgotten about her injuries, but the column was beginning to move, following Eowyn along the paths on the lower ground, and she had to hold tight to the reins to keep the horse calm.

"It's all right," she called to the children as soothingly as she could. "We'll be safe down here, don't worry. The men won't let them come close." Freda whimpered and clutched the front of the saddle. Eothain tightened his arms around her in a comforting hug.

Strange how quickly it all seemed to work out when you weren't truly_ worried_ about the outcome. They reached Helm's Deep in no time, and it seemed that they had hardly walked in the door before she heard a woman cry for Freda. The woman pushed through the crowds, tears streaming down her careworn face as she reached out for the little girl who was suddenly sobbing and trying to dive off the horse toward her mother.

Leaving the children with their mother, Riley ran up to the top of the Keep, dodging refugees, to wait for a sign of the men returning from the fight with the wargs. Again, it hardly seemed to take any time at all before they were seen entering the valley passage. Her heart sank at how very few there were, and how many of those were obviously wounded. And poor Legolas and Gimli… they thought that Aragorn had fallen to his death. Gnawing her bottom lip, Riley weighed her choices and came to her conclusion quickly. She raced to meet her friends at the stairs.

She ran down to the last step, standing on her toes to peer over heads, and immediately spotted Legolas springing from his horse and gliding swiftly through the crowd to come to stand in front of her. They automatically reached for each other, Riley resting her hands on Legolas's upper arms, with his hands at her waist. His eyes searched hers pleadingly. She felt her lips twitch into a reassuring smile. _Meant to be here_. "He'll be back tomorrow," she said softly.

Legolas smiled widely in relief, and Riley grinned back, throwing her arms around his neck for a tight hug. His head lay heavily on her shoulder, and Riley held him closer, rubbing his back lightly. She frowned. _Is he… I think he is_! "Legolas," she said, pulling away enough to see his face. It was just as smooth and flawless and beautiful as always… but somehow, in the very corners of his eyes, she could see exhaustion. "Oh, Leaf," she murmured, smiling gently and cupping his cheek, running her thumb along his cheekbone. "Let's tell Gimli about Aragorn, and then I want you to rest. And I do mean _rest_."

He smiled softly, eyes glimmering with something that resembled admiration. "There you are," he whispered.

"What?" Riley asked, confused.

Legolas mirrored her actions in reaching up a hand to run his fingers over her cheek. "So much time spent trying to understand yourself, and yet here you are. Just simply _you_." She grinned, wanting to laugh and cry at the same time.

They stuck to the plan. Gimli was intercepted before he could tell Eowyn of Aragorn's supposed fate and set right, and then while he went off to undoubtedly find an ale of some sort, Riley and Legolas found an out-of-the-way corner where they settled down, leaning against the wall. Upon reflection, Riley remembered that he could have very easily slept standing up had he needed to, but instead, he leaned his head on her shoulder, intertwined their hands, and finally relaxed into slumber.

She didn't realize that she'd joined him until Gimli nudged her leg with his boot and wished her a good morning. Legolas's head immediately popped off her shoulder, and she stared sleepily at him. He stared back, fully awake, alert, and more than slightly amused at her off-kilter gaze. "Another day?" he asked, suddenly on his feet and offering a hand up.

"Another day," she decided, accepting his help up and wincing as she felt the effects of having slept sitting up on stone. "And what a lovely day it is," she said sarcastically.

As this was the day for preparation for battle, there wasn't time to do much else but help everyone in sight move their belongings into the caves. Many of the women had already settled in, preparing for a long stay if it came to that. Riley didn't like being closed in, and tried to help outside as much as possible while Legolas and Gimli helped with those more "manly" preparations.

In the end, she didn't even know Aragorn was back until the women remaining outside were shepherded into the caves, and the men were directed to the armory. Being recognized as an outsider had some advantages, such as being able to wander through the men without being immediately sent to the caves. She followed the lines to the armory and found Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli watching the proceedings in stony silence. Shooting a smile at them, she meandered over to a man who had probably never even _seen_ armor before. She snagged a buckle from his hands and yanked the belt, securing the armored chest plate to him. She continued on through the crowd, helping with what she could, and half listening to any conversation that happened to crop up, though there was little.

She could hear Aragorn speaking off to the side, though she could not hear him. She knew what he was saying, though. _Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers_.

Then Gimli answered, _Most have seen too many winters_.

Legolas's voice was softer, but she could still pick it out. _Or too few._ Riley tried to meet his eyes through the crowd, but he was watching the men pensively. _Look at them. They're frightened_. _I can see it in their eyes_. He turned, almost angrily, to Aragorn. _Boe__ a hyn: neled herain… dan caer menig?_ He was incredulous. Riley continued to watch her friends as she automatically secured more armor to more doomed men.

_Si beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras._

Her actions slowed as she saw the despair creeping into Legolas's eyes. _It's not hopeless_, she wanted to say.

_Aragorn, nedin dagor hen u-erir ortheri.__ Natha daged dhaer!_

Aragorn responded loudly enough for everyone to hear him. "Then I shall die as one of them!" The room stilled, and Aragorn marched out. Everyone stared after him.

Riley handed the helmet she was holding to the man in front of her, and made her way to her friends. She ran a hand down Legolas's arm when she reached them, and studied his face. He looked back at her after a moment, finally leaning toward her and resting his forehead just behind her temple.

He lifted his head away after a moment, and just like that, the heady exhaustion cleared, and excitement and nerves and anticipation charged the air. Riley grinned, leaned around Legolas, and rapped smartly on Gimli's helmet. "Defenders of the earth, you are," she chirped, grabbing Legolas by the hand and hauling him out of the armory. "Time to go."

"Do you know where he is, then?" Legolas asked, voice much lighter than it had been only a few minutes ago.

"Sitting on the steps," she said happily, "like he does."

Sure enough, they found Aragorn sitting on the steps near the top of the Keep, speaking reassuringly to Haleth, the poor boy who had just lost his father because he was brave. Riley stopped short to allow the boy the moment. _Another I could not save, or another I did not save?_

When Haleth turned and wandered away, Legolas left Riley behind to speak to his friend.

"My lady." Riley turned to find Gamling walking past, eyeing her pointedly. "You should be in the caves by now."

Riley gaped for a moment before shrugging. "Don't wanna," she said simply, and Gamling, not knowing what else to say to that, moved on. Riley settled herself on the steps to see what would happen next.

And what did happen next, of course, was the sounding of a horn outside the gates. What had been eerie quiet was suddenly replaced by a general roar of excitement, and then a ripple of awe as a troop of Elves glided up and into the Keep, coming to a halt at the very steps Riley was seated on. With one hand resting on the hilt of her sword, she rushed over to stand behind Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli, who had charged out of the armory, as Theoden came barreling out of the safe keep behind them. "How is this possible?" the king breathed.

The Elf leading the newly arrived army stepped forward, and Riley fought the urge to stick out her tongue at him. She and Haldir had never… gotten along well.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell," the Elf said smoothly, and Riley was taken back to the days when she'd never met him, and when she'd watched the movies and admired him. "An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago we fought and died together." He looked to Aragorn and smiled in that knowledgeable way he did. "We come to honor that allegiance."

Aragorn seemed to spring forward, and Riley found herself without a buffer between herself and the army of Elves. Legolas stood beside her, and Gimli was too much shorter than her on the steps to allow her to hide. "Mae govannen, Haldir!" Aragorn exclaimed enthusiastically in greeting, and then he added, "You are _most_ welcome."

Haldir's grin widened, but turned to a grimace as he spotted Riley.

"Oh it's you again," she said grudgingly. They exchanged an unamused look.

His gaze swept past her and landed on Theoden. "We are proud to fight alongside men once more."

And then… well. Then they had mere moments before the Uruk-hai army arrived.

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Riley closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall of the cave, trying to focus on the outside instead of the claustrophobic, terrifying air surrounding her. _Breathe in, breathe out_. She hadn't wanted to be in the caves. She wanted to be _out there_, keeping close to the wall where it was safe, but far enough out that she could see what was going on. She wanted to be able to _help_ the men whose faces she had watched for the past few days.

She squeezed her eyes shut to stop angry tears from escaping, pressing herself back against the wall harder to keep from springing away and charging out of the caves. Unbidden, her mind drifted back to the reason _why_ she was restraining herself from running outside in the first place, to the moment when Legolas had dragged her to the entrance to the caves and literally had to hold her in place to keep her from making a break for the armory:

_"You cannot keep me in here!" she demanded, opening her mouth to continue spouting reasons why she should not be locked up, complaining, really, that she would not be able to be anywhere that she could actually _see_ the battle. _

_But Legolas, it seemed, had not been listening to her, because in that moment, with one hand still on her waist and the other raised to tangle in her hair, he pressed his lips to hers, effectively silencing every one of her arguments. Riley's mind froze, and she went still in surprise. Just when she finally had the sense to close her eyes and kiss back, he pulled away. _

_Her previous inclination to keep talking at all expenses immediately spilled out in a shocked, "... Legolas?" and they stared at each other, both seeming to have forgotten how to properly function. Legolas's hands hadn't moved, but Riley's, which had quite honestly had every right to be sticking out at odd angles before, fell lightly so that they were resting on his shoulder and chest as the two simultaneously leaned toward each other, neither quite as surprised by this kiss as they had been by the other. _

_She had never been this close to anyone before. It was odd how natural it could feel to have your nose sticking into someone's cheek, how much it made your heart speed up and your nerves stand on end. The entire world seemed to be... _outside_ of them, as if the way her nerves were reacting pushed it away. As this registered vaguely in her mind, her sense of balance turned on its ear, and she had to grip Legolas's clothes to keep from sinking to the floor. His arms responded immediately by wrapping more tightly around her. _

_Something in her mind sparked, and a thought flitted through whatever consciousness she could scrounge up. _You might never see him again after this. Nothing is set in stone._ A surge of absolute, petrifying fear pulled her out of her haze, and she pressed more urgently into him, gripping him tighter, kissing him harder. As if he had been taking care to be gentle before, Legolas responded with more force, almost desperation, and it shot through Riley's mind that he had been assuming this would be the end for far longer than she had. _

_As they finally pulled away from each other, once again, words spilled from Riley's mouth before it had even occurred to her that she might say something. "And on top of everything else," she mourned, "it's going to rain." Legolas's face split into a grin, and he laughed. Unable to resist reacting in kind, Riley broke into giggles and buried her face in his chest. Their brief merriment faded quickly, though, as it usually does in these situations, and they once again found themselves holding onto each other fiercely. _

It was the explosion that brought her back to the present.

The women were not ignorant as to what was happening above their heads. The ground quaked with the footsteps from above. What sounded like thunder signaled the approach of the enemy. As the thunder became less rhythmic and more scattered, they knew that the fight had begun. When the sound seemed to _squish_, they knew that it was raining. And when everything else paused with the resounding _boom_ that shook the walls, they knew that something had gone wrong, and Riley was done with waiting around, shivering with fear at what she could not see. Making eye contact with Eowyn above the women's heads, she gave a small nod. Eowyn returned it, and Riley slipped through the cracks between the boulders blocking the entrance.

The men who had been set to guard it seemed to have run to see what the explosion had been. The sound of her breathing and the shuffle of her feet echoed as she crept up the passageway, keeping a close look-out for anyone who might come around the corner and see a woman sneaking out of the stronghold. She wouldn't blame them for sending her back if they did, but that didn't mean that she couldn't avoid it for as long as possible. Up the passage and through the empty meeting hall, out the doors and along the wall behind the men's backs. They were far too occupied with bracing the gate and keeping the Uruk-hai away from the Keep to notice her. Rushing to the edge of the Keep, she peered out, looking for anyone she knew. With weapons flying all around her and the air filled with a thousand screams and battle-heavy grunts, she began to think that this was, perhaps, not the best plan she'd ever come up with.

The Elves were still holding the Uruk-hai that were rushing through the gap in the wall at bay. If she hurried, she'd be able to make it to the wall before the Uruk-hai had swarmed the stairs. Once again, she sprinted towards her goal, this time not as cautious about being seen. She darted between men, heading for the most part in the opposite direction from them. She had a sudden flashback of rushing down the stairs at Moria as she raced down these stairs and then up the others to get to the top of the wall. She scanned the wall and spotted Legolas immediately. He and Haldir were the only two not wearing helmets, and his golden hair acted almost as a beacon if you wanted it to.

She was mostly able to skirt around the battling Elves and Uruk-hai, occasionally slashing at an orc that was a bit too close, all the while determinably ignoring the countless bodies she was climbing over. She was within feet of Legolas, nerves screaming _this is a bad idea! You'll distract him!_, when he suddenly threw down a shield and disappeared down some stairs, riding it like a surfboard. Riley froze, mouth gaping. She couldn't go _down there_. She might be able to take on _one_ orc, but the ground was swarming with enemy.

_Okay_, she thought. _Okay. Go back. Get back up the stairs before they take over. Hide in the caves like a good girl. If you're not going to do any good, _go back.

Theoden's voice echoed through the air, commanding everyone to fall back to the Keep. Aragorn's voice followed it.

She began to turn to obey, and almost collided with Haldir, who was calling his troops back to the Keep, waving an arm. Riley whipped around quickly, not wanting to be caught being stupid again, especially by him. She found herself face-to-face with an Uruk-hai that was just coming over the wall. She screamed, vaguely heard a smooth yell from behind her, and swept her sword downward, through the Uruk-hai's shoulder. Its arm that wielded its own sword thudded to the ground, and Riley stumbled as she was pushed roughly aside by Haldir, who immediately sank his sword into the Uruk-hai's chest, effectively killing it.

Half hunched over, Riley stared in horror at Haldir, who at this very moment _should_ be staring in surprise at his fallen comrades, grasping for the first time in his long life what death truly meant. He _should _be falling to his knees, and then backward into Aragorn's arms.

But Haldir was not doing any of these things, the moron. He was grabbing her by the arm, hauling her into an upright position, dragging her along the wall with the other escaping Elves. Dear God. He was friggin' _alive_.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! It's the longest one yet. Review if you like; without you, I wouldn't have updated at all!**


	44. Choice

Happy New Year, my lovelies :)

We missed you.

P.S. Thank you, Risa :)

* * *

Previously:

_Theoden's voice echoed through the air, commanding everyone to fall back to the Keep. Aragorn's voice followed it._

_She began to turn to obey, and almost collided with Haldir, who was calling his troops back to the Keep, waving an arm. Riley whipped around quickly, not wanting to be caught being stupid again, especially by him. She found herself face-to-face with an Uruk-hai that was just coming over the wall. She screamed, vaguely heard a smooth yell from behind her, and swept her sword downward, through the Uruk-hai's shoulder. Its arm that wielded its own sword thudded to the ground, and Riley stumbled as she was pushed roughly aside by Haldir, who immediately sank his sword into the Uruk-hai's chest, effectively killing it._

_Half hunched over, Riley stared in horror at Haldir, who at this very moment _should _be staring in surprise at his fallen comrades, grasping for the first time in his long life what death truly meant. He _should _be falling to his knees, and then backward into Aragorn's arms._

_But Haldir was not doing any of these things, the moron. He was grabbing her by the arm, hauling her into an upright position, dragging her along the wall with the other escaping Elves. Dear God. He was friggin' _alive_._

* * *

The doors of the Keep slammed shut behind them as Haldir hauled Riley inside. Once safely through the doors, Haldir rounded on her, opening his mouth to reprimand her at the same time that she opened hers to counter whatever he was about to say. Both were too stunned for the moment to properly form words, and so they stared at each other, Riley mouthing words of horror. It seemed it had only been a split second when Aragorn brushed past her. Riley automatically turned to follow his movement, when she found herself suddenly whipped around, gripped by the elbows, to come face-to-face with Legolas, whose eyes were dark and burning with an uncharacteristic fury.

"I told you to stay where you were. You _promised_ that you would stay safe!" he said harshly. Though his hands could never cause her pain, Riley could feel his anger radiating in his grip.

Her mind raced for an explanation, excuse after excuse thrown out as idiotically simplistic. Finally, she simply threw her hands up and wailed, "I saved Haldir by accident!" The intensity in his gaze faded to confusion.

"Wonderful that you are so overjoyed," Haldir called as he passed them, heading for more furniture to block the door.

Through a great feat of self control, Riley managed to keep from sticking her tongue out at him. Still, she snapped, "Yes, because I definitely thought to myself, 'Who here most deserves to live? Oh! I hate Haldir; I'll save him!'"

"No," Haldir acknowledged, passing them again. "For indeed, you did not seem to think at all."

"I don't like you," she said, and then again, quieter, to Legolas, "I don't like him."

"_He_ heard you the first time."

"Shut up, Haldir."

"Do you not see that I _am_?"

"Not the door, you _moron_! Your _mouth_!"

"Riley!" Aragorn called irritably. Riley jumped. "You must return to the caves with the other women and children."

"But…"

"Riley!" he cut her off. Riley scratched her nose uncomfortably, waiting quietly for him to huff out his frustration before continuing. "We are about to open the doors and ride out. The women and children and the infirm are escaping through the caves even now. _They will need someone who has seen battle protecting their backs_."

Riley blinked in surprise, thrown off by the sudden responsibility. Legolas's grip loosened and dropped away. She twisted her hands to find his before he could move away. Abandoning all pretenses, she stepped closer until they were standing together. "When you come back," she said with soft conviction, "I'll be waiting for you." She pushed up onto her toes and pressed a kiss to his jaw. She squeezed his hands, then stepped back, squared her shoulders, and headed past them all to the caves. With an exchange of nods with Aragorn, she went out of sight and headed down the long corridors to the caves, passing wave after wave of surviving soldiers who were preparing for a last-ditch effort to protect their families and give them a chance to escape.

_What are they supposed to do after they escape_? she thought wryly. _Wander the hills? There's nowhere they can escape _to.

By the time that she reached the caves, there was only a faint glow of torches down one tunnel to lead to those that were escaping. Shaking her head and thinking how stupid it would be to let them keep going, she began weaving her way through the crowds to find Eowyn at the front of the line.

Three hours later, men began to filter into the caves to announce their victory, and the subsequent cries of delight melded together in one great roar that reverberated off the walls and echoed for miles. Riley had never hugged so many strangers in her life.

… but even that was wrong, she realized with a start, pausing in the celebration and slipping behind a stalagmite to lean against the cave wall in sudden weariness. She _had_ hugged that many strangers, and more… back in her old life. She peered out through the cavern at the women hugging their children and each other. One people, really. One family.

Before she had a chance to allow the information to process slowly, she was assaulted with memories, drowning out all the activity around her. Shawn's warm hugs. Jeremy's smell, which combined cologne and brownies, and made her feel at home. Barton chasing his ball to the bottom of the stairs and then running into the wall. Dean guiding her through a crowd. The studio in Tennessee that battled the outside heat with brilliant air conditioning that made her cold. Her mom's soft hands. How her daddy knew just how to hug her. The thrill of performing. The sound of the leaves in the tree outside her window rustling in a summer breeze.

The first time she had come to this world, she hadn't concerned herself with whether or not she would be back. She had transitioned and moved on. When she returned to her own home, she took it in stride, transitioned, moved on. When she once again found herself in Middle-Earth, had she worried at all about whether or not she would ever go back? Not really, she realized. She had simply accepted it and moved on. Years ago!

Her own words floated back to her. "I would say that I'm in-between realities," she'd said. She'd never really left that state. She was continually co-existing in two realities, insisting on not just living in one, but both. Was that what that feeling had been, all those years ago, when she had been warned that she was about to leave? That feeling of deep anticipation, like the wince before the pain… had that been the realities reminding her that she could only exist in one world?

"Riley," a voice called, and Riley pulled abruptly from her thoughts to find Eowyn looking at her expectedly. "The others are already far ahead!" Riley glanced up the path and noted the torchlight moving away. Pushing the call of her revelation away and burying it under the urgency of the present, she rejoined Eowyn and they hurried to catch up, the excitement of victory fueling their steps.

Sunlight temporarily blinded them once they'd exited the caves and made their way outside. They dodged bodies right and left. The two women clasped their hands together. Riley knew exactly what she would find if she dared to look down, and so she keep her eyes and mind focused on moving ahead. Eowyn, however, stumbled at the sheer mass of gore that surrounded them, and Riley kept a firm grasp on her hands to keep her moving.

"Papa!" a tiny voice cried up ahead, and Riley strained around the crowd in the Keep to see little Freda throwing herself into the arms of a man who dropped his helmet without pause to catch her. In a massive crowd that mostly wailed with loss, Riley fixed the image of father and daughter uniting in her mind to keep away the sadness that threatened to seep in. Remaining soldiers were doing their best to arrange the bodies out of the way, but the sheer number of them was difficult to hide.

Eowyn and Riley eventually parted and headed off on their own. Riley wandered up to the top of the Keep and stood for a long time, looking down at the churning crowd. At first it was only because she thought it would be easier to spot her friends, but for as much as people rushed past her, she began to feel a disconnection from the people below. The more she tried to focus on them, the more she felt pulled away from them, to the extent that the sounds around her faded away, and she felt as if she were floating far above the world, looking down at a scene that she had so longed to be a part of all those years ago.

_Do I still think that way_? she wondered quietly. When she looked down at these people, she no longer saw characters in various roles. She saw Shawn and Lana with their family. She saw her mom and dad reuniting after her dad's business trip that had stranded him in Japan for weeks after 9/11. And on top of it all, she remembered Sam's voice over the picturesque scenes of reunion below her that had so strategically avoided the blood and mayhem of loss. "There is some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for." She would never escape unhappiness, Riley now realized. There would always be trouble in any world she traveled to. It was determination to encourage the good that saved people, not the longing for unhappiness to disappear.

Watching the sunlight break over the crowd below, Riley shoved that familiar feel of anticipation down. She was ready, finally, to commit to fighting for good in the world to which she was born. "But not yet," she told the feeling, and immediately, it dissipated. "I'm not done fighting for good here yet." With that, she caught a glimpse of the sun glinting off a familiar blonde head, and she pulled herself back down to that reality and raced down the steps into Legolas's arms.

It was only a matter of time until most of the Rohirrim had been sent back to their homes and a small contingent set out for Isengard. Riley, for the same reason that she'd gone with them since Amon Sul, was allowed to come –if they got into trouble, at least they'd know exactly what sort of trouble Riley was in. They would do better to keep an eye on her than to leave her to her own devices. However trustworthy she was and no matter how much responsibility she could handle, she was still the same old Riley, more likely to fall into a hole than to notice it and walk around.

So they finally arrived at Isengard in what would have been a careful and strategic approach, had Riley not urged Oolore to bolt out of the last line of trees. As she did, she shrieked, "Merry, Pippin!" The Hobbits, who might have noticed the men before the men noticed them, instead gave yells of surprise, and rolled backwards onto their heads on top of the remnants of the wall of Isengard.

Riley directed Oolore right up to the wall and climbed to her feet in the saddle. She pulled herself up onto the wall and yanked the two Hobbits into a tight hug. "I missed you two!" she cried, giggling in delight.

Merry and Pippin gave muffled laughs from inside the hug, and returned it joyfully… and a little drunkenly.

Riley grinned down at the others who were exiting the forest, noting the glittering relief that shone from their faces when they saw the Hobbits alive and well. Patting the two on their backs, she said, "Well then, I've heard your salted pork is particularly good. May I try a portion?"

Before they could answer, and before Gimli could comment indignantly on the Hobbits' padded position, Gandalf called, "Riley. You know why we are here."

Her grin faded. "Right." Riley nodded. "And although it sounds delicious, unfortunately, it's not the salted pork. It's to deal with that nasty ogre, Saruman."

"But Riley, Saruman is a wizard!" Pippin piped up helpfully.

Riley stared at him for a long moment before she burst out laughing and pulled him into another hug. "Yes, Pippin, you're very, very right." It was then that she noticed Legolas watching her, a large, contented grin pulling at his lips. She grinned right back, half of her bottom lip caught in her teeth.

She helped the Hobbits down from the wall and then slid back down onto Oolore, a pink tinge coming to her cheeks when Legolas caught her as she slid sideways in the saddle and nearly fell. "I know you too well," he said simply. Riley snorted in reply. Gimli grunted. "Oh shut up," she told him.

They caught up with the others, horses sloshing into the water as if it were nothing, and were greeted by Treebeard who, as Merry had put it, "Had taken over management of Isengard."

"Young master Gandalf," Treebeard thundered. Riley gaped at the… giant… talking… tree, and muttered under her breath, "Whoa." She could sense Legolas' smile. As Treebeard continued booming away, she turned her attention to scanning the entirety of Isengard. _It must have been pretty_, she mused silently.

"Well, let's just have his head and be done with it," Gimli grumbled next to her, and Riley turned her attention back to the activity at hand, interested to see Saruman, for as short a time as it may have been.

"No!" Gandalf reprimanded him. "We need him alive. We need him to talk."

Riley often forgot that the rest did not know the coming events as she did.

A deep, pulsating voice poured down from the top of Saruman's tower, somehow sounding as if it were all around them and not high in the sky. "You have fought many wars and slain men, Theoden King, and made peace afterwards," Saruman spoke with almost a purr. "Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?"

But Theoden was not to be taken in again. "We shall have peace. We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold, and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies are hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows we shall have peace."

_All in due time_, Riley thought.

Saruman finally came into view at the top of the tower. "Gibbets and crows? Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The Key of Orthanc. Or perhaps the Keys of Barad-dur itself, along with the crowns of the Seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"

"Your treachery has already cost many lives," Gandalf said, still with a measure of patience. "Thousands are now at risk. But you could save them, Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel."

_But he doesn't see it as the enemy_.

Saruman's answer was smug. He was arrogant that he had the upper hand despite his position. "So you have come here for information. I have some for you." He pulled what few of them knew as the palantir from his robes and gazed into it. "Something festers in the heart of Middle-Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it. Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You're all going to die." Those words, said so surely, froze the air with the chilling promise.

"But you know this, don't you, Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor." Riley still watched Saruman, but could feel the heads turn to glance at Aragorn. "This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned king. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closest to him, those he professes to love. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling, before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."

Gimli growled. "I've heard enough." To Legolas, he said, "Shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob." Even as he spoke, Legolas reached for an arrow.

"No," Gandalf hissed, motioning at Legolas briefly.

Riley spoke quietly. "He's bluffing. He doesn't know."

Gandalf gave a curt nod. "Come down, Saruman," he gave a last-ditch effort, "and your life will be spared."

"Save your pity and your mercy," Saruman's voice rumbled. "I have no use for it!" With that, he made a motion that they could only see for a moment before what seemed to be a massive fireball shot down and engulfed Gandalf and Shadowfax.

The heat forced the rest of them back, and Riley winced, afraid for a moment that the fire would spread to them all… until she remembered that they were all standing in a massive amount of water, and… the fire wouldn't get that far. It swirled around Gandalf before harmlessly falling away to reveal that he was untouched.

"Saruman," he said simply, "your staff is broken." From so far away, it was difficult to see, but Saruman's staff seemed to explode, and a hulking figure appeared behind him.

_Is that… this seems so much more tense in person_.

Theoden was the only one who recognized the figure behind Saruman. "Grima, you need not follow him. You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down!"

_Wow, this is the day for second chances_, Riley thought. Still, she'd always felt sorry for Wormtongue in this moment.

"Man of Rohan?" Saruman mocked. "What is the house of Rohan, but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs?" Riley's frown grew deeper as Wormtongue became more desperate in response to what Saruman was saying. "The victory at Helm's Deep does not belong to you, Theoden Horse-master. You are a lesser son of greater sires."

Theoden shrugged off the words and spoke instead, once more, to Wormtongue, "Grima, come down! Be free of him." The acceptance from someone he had wronged so badly must have been overwhelming for Wormtongue. He was twitching back and forth behind Saruman.

"Free?" Saruman laughed. "He will never be free!" Wormtongue shook his head frantically, and Saruman whirled, bringing his staff down across the man's face. Grima fell backwards.

"Saruman," Gandalf thundered, attempting to pull the attention back to the issue at hand. "You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know."

"You withdraw your guard, and I will tell you where your doom will be decided," Saruman answered, and it almost went unnoticed that Wormtongue was creeping up behind him. "I will not be held prisoner here!"

Those proved to be his last words as Wormtongue drew a knife from his cloak and plunged it into Saruman's back. A split second later, Legolas had sent an arrow straight into Wormtongue's chest; Wormtongue fell back, and Saruman fell forward, tumbling off the tower and straight down toward them. Riley cringed and looked away just before he hit one of his machines, a giant spiked wheel, but she couldn't escape that horrible thud and crunch.

The quiet that followed seemed louder than the yelling that had been going on moments before. "Send word to our allies," Gandalf said, immediately moving past this defeat, "and to every corner of Middle-Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike." As he spoke, the spiked wheel rotated under the weight of Saruman's body and the palantir that had been in his pocket slipped out and into the water.

Pippin slipped into the water to retrieve it, staring in into its depths as if mesmerized.

_Oh no_. Riley cringed at the tingling pull of the palantir and looked the other way.

Almost immediately after they returned to Edoras, preparations went underway for a memorial… well… it seemed to be a kegger in honor of those lost at Helms Deep. With the amount of staff that royalty could scrounge up at a moment's notice, the preparations took only a few hours, and soon countless people had packed into the hall and were raising their glasses to Theoden's toast of "Hail, the victorious dead!"

Riley had never been one for ale, even back in her Hobbiton days, preferring instead to wander the room looking for the different cheeses to eat. This was exactly what she did once she'd seen Legolas safely off with Gimli and Eomer to their drinking games. It was reassuring to see everyone in such high spirits; Pippin and Merry prancing around on the tables singing old Hobbit songs was her favorite part of the evening. It brought the joviality of Hobbiton, which seemed half a world away, to this desolate place… until that moment when Pippin noticed Gandalf watching and froze mid-song. That little pause brought Riley out of the momentary carefree mood she'd slipped into and down to the ground far below, where unhappy thoughts awaited her.

It was convenient, really, that the party wore everyone out. The hall was bizarrely peaceful once the last person had collapsed into his bed, directly into slumber. Riley lay quietly on her bed for hours trying to sleep, but her nerves still rang with the consequences of the decision that she'd come to regard as absolute and final. Immediately upon realizing that she'd chosen once and for all where she belonged, she'd been overwhelmed with the guilt of having to tell her friends… of having to tell Legolas that she did not _have_ to leave, but had _chosen_ to. She'd finally kicked away her crutch and taken full control of her life. She was terrified.

Her room felt smaller and smaller, stifling her with the Rohan trademark of no windows and heavily engrained wood on all sides. Finally unable to ignore it by burrowing into her pillows, she slipped out of bed and set herself to finding a way outside. The robe that Eowyn had left her was all white and flowy, making her feel like the ghost of ladies past as she crept through the halls.

Eventually she found the open air, but in wallowing in her troubles, she'd forgotten that this was the night that Pippin went after the palantir, and with her luck, she'd come out of the hall to find herself standing alongside Legolas and Aragorn as they quietly discussed the coming evil. Legolas must have felt the menace in the air (or else was hung-over from his night of binge drinking with Gimli), because his hood was pulled up, almost becoming a shield between himself and the air. Had her presence gone unnoticed, she would have backed away and found her own corner in which to ponder life, the universe, and everything, but she knew well enough that Aragorn and Legolas – a Ranger and an Elf – would have sensed her before she'd even come out the door.

She stood awkwardly, not able to fall back into her own thoughts with them there, and so had to settle for being unable to focus on their conversation either. She was antsy, and knew that they could tell. But they seemed to write it off as normal behavior, and Riley continued to clench her fists in the robe, nearly gouging a hole right through into her palms when Legolas spun suddenly, voice tinged with the same hopeless dread that had caused him to despair at Helms Deep. "He is here," he said.

A split second later, Riley felt the evil crash over them like a wave; her stomach turned in protest. By the time that she'd stumbled under the weight of the sudden onslaught, Aragorn and Legolas had already disappeared through the door. She was hard pressed to keep up with them through the winding maze that was most likely the straightest hall in existence. She tripped through the doorway just in time for the palantir to roll onto her bare feet. Immediately, visions of shooting arrows at moving wooden ducks flashed before her eyes, then Pippin licking walls and Boromir chucking grapes – all being pulled from her by a force that was so entirely saturated in evil intent that she didn't hear herself shriek as she leapt backward and was sick in the corner.

There was a roaring in her ears and dark spots in front of her eyes, so that she didn't realize that Legolas was cradling her and whispering in her ear for several long, agonizing moments. When she came to, her eyes moved around the room, quickly evaluating her friends' conditions. Gandalf was gone, probably off to send a message to Theoden or to hide the palantir. Aragorn sat against a wall, arms draped across his knees and head down as if exhausted. Merry held Pippin's hand, looking worriedly down at him as he lay, still seeming to be in absolute shock. Finally, she turned to stare up at Legolas. "What did he ask of you?" he questioned.

Riley blinked. "Um… he just… tried to get into my head. To see what I've seen."

Aragorn's head shot up. "What did you show him?"

"I didn't _show_ him anything. He sucked it out of my head."

Legolas's arms tightened, and the tension in the room skyrocketed as her friends all winced in anticipation of what she could have given away.

Riley stared back at them blankly for a moment before she realized what they were waiting to hear, and she quickly rattled off the images that had scrolled through her mind.

Eyebrows simultaneously shot up in disbelief, and there was a long moment when no one said anything at all.

And then Aragorn burst into laughter; he was followed by chuckles from the others, even a tiny giggle from Pippin. "Thank the Valar for your simple-mindedness, Riley."

Automatically, she replied, "Thank you." A second passed. "Hey!"

The next morning, she realized how little time she had left with the people she'd always considered to be her best friends. Even more importantly, she realized that she would have to explain to Legolas why she had started something that she was now declaring an end to. She stared down at their entwined hands as they sat in the meeting hall and listened to Gandalf explain the situation to Theoden with the occasional pat to Pippin's shoulder.

"Legolas," she whispered beneath her breath. His attention immediately shifted to her, but it didn't help. With his eyes on hers, she found herself repeatedly opening her mouth to tell him, to just get it over with and let him know… the more she tried, the less she felt she could do it, ad she fought back tears. She could see his concern, and above all his patience. "I love you," she said finally.

He wasn't fooled. He knew that she had more to say, but instead of demanding it as Boromir would have done, he squeezed her hand and leaned forward to kiss her forehead, accepting what she _had_ said, and leaving it at that. Part of her wished that it _was_ Boromir arguing with her until she blurted it out, but she clung to Legolas's acceptance desperately to hide from just how inevitable it was that she would eventually have to be brave.

"… and I won't be going alone," Gandalf said, announcing his plan to take Pippin and head for Minas Tirith. _Perfect_.

"I'd like to come with you if I can," Riley said. All attention briefly turned to her. Unable to explain to everyone that she was essentially running away, her mind raced to come up with another explanation – something that could be a reason to visit Gondor… "Boromir's family… they deserve to know."

Gandalf frowned. "Denethor is in a difficult position as…"

"No, I know," Riley interrupted. "But… his brother. Faramir will be there, and… Boromir always talked so proudly about him…."

"As long as you can keep up on the ride."

Riley nodded.

They were to leave immediately. Riley raced to her room to gather what few things she'd had with her. As an afterthought, she snatched a fresh piece of parchment from the writing desk in the corner and clumsily scribbled a note to Arwen, knowing that through two or three degrees of separation, she would eventually receive it.

_Dear Arwen,_

_You have done well, my friend. If all goes according to plan (and I'm here to make sure that it does), you will see him again very, very soon. _

_I am so proud of you and your good heart._

_I love you._

_Your friend,_

_Riley_

_P.S. Legolas and I are in love with each other! It's a long story._

She pressed a kiss to the parchment once she'd folded and addressed it, and then handed it to Theoden upon arriving back in the hall. "You'll know who to give it to when the time comes, I promise," she said. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome," he replied, giving her the odd look she'd come to regard as inevitable, but tucking the letter inside his robe all the same.

"I do not suppose you will tell any of us what you've written, will you?" Legolas asked, standing so close that she expected him to reach out and touch her, but his hands were held loosely by his sides.

"Of course not," Riley said, lifting her pack onto her shoulder. "It'll have to remain a mystery, just like me." She gave him a saucy grin. His pleasant smile did not so much as twitch, and so she knew what he was thinking. "I won't be in more harm's way there than I am here," she offered.

"But here, I would know what harm was befalling you." His smile turned wry.

She tried to think of something that might appease him, but had to settle for an apologetic smile. "I don't have an answer to that."

Oolore seemed reluctant to leave "Horse Land," but obediently allowed Riley to saddle him and climb aboard quicker than she normally did.

"But… you're coming with me, aren't you?" Pippin's voice had suddenly taken on the grounded quality of an adult, a change that was often brought about in the moment that you realize that you alone are responsible for your life. When Merry didn't answer him, the fear that followed that moment of realization took over him. "Merry?" But Merry had turned to join Gandalf and Riley in the stables. Riley ruffled Pippin's hair as he followed.

The goodbye between Merry and Pippin had always broken her heart, but a moment later when she went to mount Oolore and Legolas, who had followed her to the stables, appeared at her side to give her a leg up, everything else faded away. He threaded the reins through her hands as he had when her injuries were bad enough to limit her mobility; his eyes didn't meet hers, and remained fixed on her hands.

_God, for once he's expressing some selfish emotion_, she thought sadly, untwisting a hand from the reins to grasp his. "I'm so sorry; I know I'm not being fair to you," she whispered. "I'll see you very, very soon." Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to his lips. "I love you." She pressed another kiss to his cheek as Gandalf muttered to Shadowfax that haste was needed, and then drove her heels firmly into Oolore's sides. The horse bolted out the door past Legolas to follow the others.

She could have said that the ride to Gondor passed quickly, but with little to do but make sure that Oolore followed Shadowfax (which he could have done blindfolded), she was left to fall into her own thoughts. Needless, to say, it was one of the last places that she wanted to be. She was beginning to identify with Pippin, who was less than enthusiastic over the sudden responsibility he'd been forced to take over his own life. Still, with that horror came a sense of empowerment… it was different than finding a place with your friends and figuring out how to work with them to your advantage. To that end, you could blame any mishaps on them.

Taking over your own life meant dealing with the circumstances and challenges of life to the best of your ability, plain and simple. Scary as crap, and worth every single second.

It would be impossible to follow the line of every thought during their three-day ride. Each hour dragged by, and she'd never been more grateful to be distracted as they rode down into the strip between Osgiliath and Minas Tirith. Among her thoughts on the way had been her plans for what to do upon meeting Boromir's father and brother.

Denethor presented the most trouble. No matter how much she would like to force redemption upon the man, the fact was that she couldn't. She didn't even know how to introduce herself; Boromir's love and she faced some complicated questions, a friend from Rivendell and she'd be too quickly overlooked. Despite her main reason for coming to Gondor being to take a mental break from Legolas, she did want to do some good here.

She was fairly confident that Faramir would be the least of her worries. She remembered (from both observation and Boromir's stories) that he was very much a neglected version of his brother, albeit a stronger-willed man, as he had proved.

They entered the gates of Minas Tirith, and Riley resolved upon seeing the tense faces of the townspeople to do as much as she could and stand up for everything that she knew and believed, and that that was all she could expect from herself.

Minas Tirith was made up of about half a bazillion different layers, she decided a few moments later when they turned one hundred and eighty degrees to head in the opposite direction on the next layer. _Eventually you'll back yourself up to the top and have nowhere to go_, she thought. _Well that's dumb_.

The city was beautiful; she could practically hear Boromir's adoring descriptions of it echoing as they rode past sculpture after blinding white sculpture. The architecture, the cleanliness of the design… it was a blend of ancient and of modern… it wouldn't have looked out of place in the older, still-operating cities from home. A pang shot through her. Of all her friends, Boromir was the one who would have fit at home the best.

"… his son's death would be most unwise. Riley? _Riley_?"

Riley started and realized that she'd automatically dismounted and followed Gandalf and Pippin right across the courtyard and to the doors of the hall of kings. She blinked at Gandalf. "What?"

The wizard gave her an exasperated look. "Do not mention Boromir to him yet. Is that clear?"

She threw that one out as soon as it was past his lips. "Oh he knows," she said, stepping past them so that the attendants at the doors caught the hint and allowed her into the hall. Behind her, Gandalf hissed at Pippin to keep his mouth shut. Riley swallowed thickly and forced herself to stop chewing her lip and mimic the casual and confident stance that Aragorn often struck.

The remnants of the man who had once looked much like his sons sat slumped in his chair, clutching two large shells to him as if he were handling a delicate infant. Riley felt an overwhelming surge of empathy for the man. To lose your son….

And then he looked up and sneered at her before turning his attention back to what he held, and her empathy dissolved into righteous indignation. Well the big _jerk_.

She didn't realize that she'd said it out loud until Denethor's eyes snapped up at her. Undeterred, she exclaimed, "You're using your mourning to give you more excuses, you big –" she didn't get to finish as Gandalf jerked her backwards and Pippin stumbled forward with the intent of drawing Denethor's attention away from her.

"My lord," he addressed the steward, kneeling down. "We were companions to Boromir. He died defending us from many foes. Please, forgive my friend for her passion; she and your son were very close. And please, accept my service, such as it is, in payment for this debt."

Riley blinked awkwardly in response to Pippin's sudden and incredibly articulate maturity. Still, the poor little man had just declared his allegiance to a lunatic. "Oh for goodness' sake," she muttered, hardly paying attention to the way Gandalf shoved her aside and then covertly thwacked Pippin in the foot and told him to get up.

Denethor, however, was no longer interested in what the wizard had to say. His eyes had focused intently on Riley, who stood her ground though her skin squirmed.

"Of what nature was your relationship with Boromir?" he queried.

Riley unconsciously twirled her hair around her finger. She mouthed silently, unable to find the words to describe exactly how she and Boromir had been… best friends seemed too common a phrase.

Denethor took her silence differently than she had meant him to, immediately brightening into what she assumed was supposed to be charm. "My dear!" he exclaimed, rising to his feet and depositing the shattered horn of Gondor into his seat to extend his arms to her. "Finally, my son has found a wife!" Riley stared at him, eyebrows rocking upward in surprise. Yes, he took it _very_ differently than she meant him to. She still did her best not to flinch when he embraced her, plastered a tentative smile on her face to hide her grimace. He gripped her hands, smiling welcomingly. "It is unfortunate that it was at such an… inopportune time. If you will allow me to make sure you and..." he glanced distainfully at Gandalf and Pippin, "your _companions_ will be comfortable for your stay in Minas Tirith…."

The arrangements were made almost too quickly for her to follow, and soon Riley found herself standing in a sunny room with whitewashed walls that was located next to her friends' rooms. She stared in awe at the walls, wondering vaguely if she should have spoken up and corrected Denethor. But no, she decided, it would not have done any good. She would have been expelled from the city just as readily as Gandalf and Pippin had she not been appealing to the steward, and she couldn't think of a safer (and less squicky) way to do that than to pose as Boromir's wife.

After a good bath, she felt much more at ease, and more up for wandering. The sun had not yet gone down, and light still glinted pleasantly off white stone walls. With the location of their lodgings scratched on a strip of parchment and tucked safely in her pocket, she started off alone down the streets. She didn't have a destination in mind, but instead strolled aimlessly past homes and shops and markets that were closing for the day. It was tranquil… and false.

The unease settled in her stomach. Wrong, wrong, wrong. She was seeing a world at the worst possible time, when everything was cracking along the edges and splitting at the seams. The people were frightened, driven to desperation; the land was ravaged by the Orcs that swarmed it. Shuddering, she returned to her rooms and refused to come out. She needed to get out of this city, and she needed to do it soon. Back to what she knew: back to trudging through the middle of a war.

Some time later, Riley stumbled across her room to answer the door, intent on silencing the incessant knocking that was disturbing her morning. She half regretted her scowl, though, when she threw the door open and the page who was the source of the knocking leaned backward in shock.

They blinked awkwardly at each other until the page straightened, tugging down on his jacket to smooth out imaginary wrinkles. "Lord Denethor would like to invite you to a late luncheon. He thought you might enjoy being present when your friend is sworn into his service."

She pursed her lips. "You mean he'd like it clear that he's in charge when Pippin swears to serve Gondor?"

The page's expression matched hers.

"Thought so. All right; I'll be there after… um… things… happen… which… oh for crying out loud, go away!" And she rudely slammed the door in his face, climbed back in bed, and slept until horns sounding an alarm blasted outside her window. She swung her door open just in time to see Gandalf and Pippin charge down the street on Shadowfax. She raced down the street after them, long after they'd left her sight. By the time that she made it to the first level of the city, the streets were teeming with townspeople trying to see what the commotion was about, and she had to use her elbows to make it to the courtyard entrance, calling for Gandalf when she got close enough. Pippin heard her first and waved at her.

Gandalf automatically directed Shadowfax to encourage the crowd to part the way for her, only half paying attention to whether she made it or not. His attention was instead focused on the man leading the group of soldiers on horseback who had been able to make it through the city gates. The second Riley's eyes met his, her stomach dropped straight down to her feet. _Boromir_, her senses screamed while her brain tried to correct it with _Faramir_. There was a strange recognition in his eyes, a fascination that kept his eyes locked on her face, long past when Gandalf tried to reclaim his attention. "You are her," he said.

And finally Riley's brain reminded her that she should be confused. "How?" she asked softly.

"My dream," he answered. "In my dream, he cradled a flower against his breast."

Her hand flew to her neck, and found that the necklace Galadriel had given her, delicate and beautiful, was lying above her shirt in plain view. "I wish I knew if he was happy," she whispered.

"Riley," Gandalf interrupted sharply. Their attention finally turned to him. "Faramir, Frodo and Sam, where did you see them? When?"

She could see his focus shift back to what was at hand. "In Ithilien, not two days ago." He paused, visibly unsure how much to say, but concerned that he might say too little. "Gandalf, they're taking the road to the Morgul Vale."

The flicker of hope immediately vanished from the wizard's face. "And then the Pass of Cirith Ungol?" Faramir nodded.

"What does that mean?" Pippin asked. "What's wrong?"

Gandalf leaned forward urgently. "Faramir, tell me everything."

Faramir gave her a leg up onto the saddle behind him and the four of them retreated to a place more suited for their conversation. Riley couldn't help noticing that Faramir smelled oddly like his brother and that combined with their similarity in looks was more than a little off-putting.

They hardly had time to exchange information, let alone introduce themselves properly, before Denethor's attendants arrived to escort Faramir to the Hall.

Since Denethor was not quite ready to see them, they were led into a chamber alongside the hall. Riley wandered to a bench while Pippin ran off down the corridor to hurriedly change into his official Gondor uniform.

Snuggling her face into her arms, she sighed in contentment. A breeze ruffled her hair gently, but the combined heat of her body curled into a ball kept the outside air from chilling her. "You look very out of place," a voice from behind said moments later, as if they were distracted. Riley turned and her nerves shot on end when, just for a moment, she thought it was Boromir looking kindly down at her.

"Faramir?" she choked out. _You have _got _to stop doing that_, she grumbled at herself. Now that they were inside and it was quiet, she took a moment to study him, to catalogue the differences.

He looked older than Boromir had. Smile lines tugged at the corners of his eyes, though they were outdone by the deep frown lines that marked his brow. He was worn, she decided, but still warm-hearted the way Boromir had described him. As if to reassure her, he smiled again. She couldn't help but smile back. He offered her a hand and helped her to her feet.

"I met him and traveled with him from Rivendell," she blurted out quietly, referring to his brother. Faramir's eyes dropped from hers. Now, with that awkward introduction out of the way, Riley rocked on her feet and changed the subject… sort of. "Speaking of, I'm very proud of how you handled being near the ring. I know your brother would be too." As quickly as she had depressed him, Faramir clearly became alarmed. He opened his mouth to speak, but Pippin was just arriving from the path from their quarters.

Riley started for him, telling Faramir saucily, "I know _all_." She threw a wink at him and jogged to meet the Hobbit, who was dressed all in his Gondor armored splendor, tugging at the hems nervously. "What were you thinking, Peregrin Took," he was muttering to himself. "What service can a Hobbit offer such a great lord of men?"

"It was well done," Faramir offered kindly. Riley turned to regard him. _Kindness…_ Boromir had said that if Faramir had one defining characteristic, it would be kindness. "A generous deed should not be checked with cold counsel. You are to join the tower guard." He gestured at Pippin's uniform.

The Hobbit smiled, a bit of his old humor shining through. "I didn't think they would find any livery that would fit me."

"Once belonged to a young boy of the city. A very foolish one, who wasted many hours slaying dragons instead of attending to his studies."

Riley giggled quietly to herself. _Sounds an awful lot like me_…

"This was yours?" Pippin exclaimed.

Faramir nodded, grinning. It was Boromir's grin. "Yes, it was mine. My father had it made for me."

"Well," Pippin boasted, "I'm taller than you were then. Though I'm not likely to grow any more. Except sideways." She laughed outright at that and bent down to hug him around his neck, rejoicing in the little display of his old self.

"Never fitted me either," Faramir laughed. "Boromir was always the soldier. They were so alike, he and my father. Proud, stubborn even. But strong."

Riley frowned at that. "They're not so similar," she said under her breath, only loud enough for the others to wonder what she'd said. Boromir came out of his weakest moment strong. His father would die without that opportunity.

"I think you have strength of a different kind," Pippin told Faramir quietly, sobering enough to recognize where encouragement was needed. Riley followed his lead, focusing on Faramir and seeing for the first time the true self-doubt that underlay his display of confidence. Kindness, compassion… did they all stem from it? "One day your father will see it." Riley mouthed the words as Pippin said them. Tears stung her eyes as she realized that it was true, but that it would come almost too late to do any good.

There was a long silence in which they all twitched or shuffled their feet awkwardly. It was broken when an attendant, the same who had knocked on Riley's door not even an hour ago, came to retrieve them and bring them to the hall.

"D'ya think Merry would do the same thing?" Pippin asked as they followed the page, voice trembling.

Riley patted him lightly on the back. "He already has, Pip. Not too long ago, Merry swore himself into the service of Rohan. You two are great heroes." Pippin squared his shoulders at that, and led the way into the hall of the citadel.

Denethor offered Riley a chair next to him at the table, but she declined as gracefully as she could, saying she wasn't much of a "lunch" type of girl, and that she really just wanted to be there for Pippin. She gratefully faded into the background as they proceeded with Pippin's swearing in.

The little Hobbit knelt before the steward and narrowed his eyes in concentration. "Here I do swear fealty and service to Gondor," he recited, stumbling slightly over his words. "In peace or war, in living or dying, from… from this hour henceforth, until my lord release me," he paused, wincing, "or death take me."

Denethor rose from his seat, grinning widely and offering his hand for Pippin to kiss. "And I shall not forget it, nor fail to reward that which is given," he said. Pippin reluctantly pecked one of the steward's rings. Denethor didn't seem to notice, continuing, "Fealty with love, valor with honor," his expression turned sour and he threw a glance at Faramir, who stood off to the side, "disloyalty with vengeance."

Riley wrinkled her nose, automatically defensive.

Denethor sat himself at his table, rolling his sleeves up to prepare for his meal. "I do not think we should so lightly abandon the outer defenses, defenses that your brother long held intact."

"What would you have me do?" Faramir asked. Riley gritted her teeth.

"I will not yield the river and Pelennor unfought. Osgiliath must be retaken."

"My lord, Osgiliath is overrun," Faramir protested.

Denethor spat back, "Much must be risked in war. Is there a captain here who still has the courage to do his lord's will?"

Faramir visibly fell back, retreating into himself. When he spoke, his voice was meek. "You wish now that our places had been exchanged. That I had died and Boromir had lived."

His father would not look at him. "Yes. I wish that."

Riley's face was now twisted in disgust, and she did not bother to change it.

Faramir rattled off the appropriate response, fighting to show that he too could handle what Boromir could. "Since you were robbed of Boromir, I will do what I can in his stead." He paused. "If I should return… think better of me, father." That single little plea, though he deserved so much more… it was as if Boromir were standing beside her. _Help him_.

"That will depend on the matter of your return."

"How dare you?" Riley spat out, unable to keep quiet any longer, feeling Boromir urging her on, encouraging her to be the one to stand up for his brother. "Faramir has been nothing but loyal to you, and if…" But the steward cut her off.

"You need not trouble yourself, my lady," Denethor purred in the same coaxing tone that had, thus far, only gotten Riley to yell at her friends in the past. "Faramir turns his attentions to less important things as the danger grows. Certainly, after knowing my son Boromir…"

"I should readily see the similarities between the two," Riley interrupted coldly, adding, almost as an afterthought, "sir."

Denethor's face tightened, but sooner than she had to continue to listen to his degradation of his own son, she continued, "To tell the truth, Lord Faramir reminds me greatly of his brother. I…" she paused to wrestle back the images of that day at Amon Hen. The effort only made her more irritated on Faramir's behalf. "I did not know Boromir for long, but I knew him _well_, and the only thing holding Faramir back is the lack of encouragement he receives from those he esteems the most." _Ah, now you've done it_, she hissed to herself.

When the steward next spoke, Riley knew that it was only her being female that saved her from his quick temper. "Only those who make themselves worthy of encouragement will receive it," he ground out. "Boromir…"

Riley interrupted him. "Boromir's name does not deserve to be dishonored, or else I could tell you of your perfect son's last hour, and believe me, _my lord_," she spat mockingly, "I know such things as to make you truly understand how little of Boromir's true strength he got from you."

Denethor's face had twisted beyond recognition. "Get out," he growled, and when Riley did not move, he shouted, "Get out of my city, and never return!"

Riley's lips curled in disgust at the man who had once been Boromir's father. "Gladly." She spun on her heel and marched for the door. "I shall not return until this city is no longer subject to your tyranny."

"Go, before I call the guards to have you thrown from the gates!" Denethor shrieked.

Riley snorted as the doors swung open and called over her shoulder as she stepped through them, "Oh bugger off! Your guards would like me better than you anyway." She didn't want to stick around long enough for Denethor to _actually_ send the guards after her.

Gandalf was waiting for her when she came out the doors, Faramir walking swiftly by her side. "It was not wise to incur his wrath," the wizard said as she approached him.

She brushed it off easily. "I'll never see him again. No harm done." Faramir turned to her, alarmed. "Oh he'll be around," she hurried to assure him, though it wasn't exactly true. "I just won't be back." _Not for a while, anyway_.

"That's a shame," he said quietly. "It is a beautiful city."

Riley couldn't help smiling sadly at the wistful way he said it, as if he would never see it again.

"Riley," Gandalf interrupted, taking her by the elbow and leading her more quickly away from the citadel. "If you are leaving, how do you intend…"

"I'll meet them along the river," she said immediately, though she'd never really thought about it. If you wanted to escape from Minas Tirith, there was only a tiny window of time in which to do it, and only a handful of directions you could take. And even if she managed to get away, she would become lost the instant that the cities disappeared from sight. She would need to find someone, and find someone fast. The logical solution was to meet the pirate ships along the river, somewhere in-between the time when Legolas and Aragorn and Gimli boarded them and the time when they reached Osgiliath.

"I can make sure you get that far, or at least halfway," Faramir offered. His ever-present smile twisted wryly. "Since we'll be riding that way anyway."

Riley looked to Gandalf for approval. And as always, he was exasperated with her. He gave her a look, and turned to Faramir instead. "Faramir," he pleaded, "your father's will has turned to madness."

"I'll say," Riley muttered.

Gandalf ignored her. "Do not throw your life away so rashly."

Faramir shook his head; even his smile had turned to a crestfallen grimace. "Where does my allegiance lie if not here?" he asked softly. "This is the city of the Men of Numenor," he said, strength creeping back into his voice with what must have been a familiar declaration. "I will gladly give my life to defend her beauty, her memory, her wisdom." He turned to Riley briefly. "I must prepare what men I can."

She nodded. "I'll see you soon."

It wasn't long before the men were prepared and they were to ride out. Gandalf escorted her to the stable and gave her a hug at the doors. "Tell Pippin," she began, but she couldn't think of any message to have him deliver. Gandalf waited patiently for her to piece something together, but in the end, she just asked him to tell Pippin that she liked his song. Then she and Gandalf said goodbye, wishing each other the best of luck in their equally hopeless situations, and she wandered into the stables to find Oolore and Faramir and prepare to leave.

"You know, Faramir," she said as she fitted the Elven saddle to Oolore's back, "Boromir was not as blameless as your father would like you to think he was. I don't mean to speak ill of the… to speak ill of him or anything, but Denethor seems to think that he is… was perfect." Faramir was silent as she continued to talk, both preparing for their departure. "Boromir was extremely brave, but he was just like the rest of us." She trailed off, not sure how else to get her point across.

Faramir spoke for her. "You speak as though you had not loved my brother. My father seems to think that you are his wife." His tone was light; he was not angry or bitter. He was simply continuing the conversation, assuming the same familiarity that she had with him: that of family.

"I'm not," she said quickly, gnawing on her bottom lip. "I loved him," she acknowledged. "Just not in the way he wanted me to."

"But he trusted you as if you did."

"Yes, he did." She paused. "Though I can't say if he should have."

Faramir tugged the last strap tight. "Oh I'm sure that if he loved you, he had good reason to." He moved over to help her secure her pack to Oolore's saddle, even though she'd already done it. "Much as you wish to assure me of Boromir's imperfections, he rarely did anything without just cause."

Riley smiled. "I know."

As the company formed their line outside the city gates, Riley and Oolore took their place next to Faramir at one end. Oolore danced in place, straining toward Osgiliath as if he couldn't wait to take off and was being spurred on by the other impatient horses in the line. Refusing to look into the faces of the doomed soldiers, Riley looked over her shoulder at the yet-largely unmarred walls of Minis Tirith, almost able to see the city quake in fear of the coming battle.

"When I say, break from the line and ride no closer to Osgiliath," Faramir said, repeating an order he'd given several times during the preparations that day. "If you ride any closer, you'll –"

"I'll be within range of their archers," Riley finished. "I know." She touched a hand to Faramir's shoulder, wishing that there was some word of comfort she could give him. There was none, and in the end, she simply squeezed his shoulder and then let her hand fall back to Oolore's reigns.

As the line started forward, Riley felt the gap between them and the safety of Minas Tirith's walls lengthen. Above the sound of the horses' feet thundering through the dust, she could imagine Pippin's melancholy little voice mourning, "Home is behind, the world ahead…."

The line transitioned from trot to gallop, and Faramir's voice thundered at her, sounding so much like Boromir that she nearly leapt out of her skin, "Now!"

As if Oolore had been tied to the line and then was suddenly set free, a simple nudge from Riley sent him wheeling to the left, racing away from both cities of Gondor and toward the river. It didn't take long to reach the river. When they had finally made it, Oolore slowed to a walk and began to pick his way upstream. They continued this way until they met the pirate ships.

She had been riding for too long. Or maybe she hadn't. It had occurred to her about two hours in that she didn't actually _know_ how far away the Passage of the Dead was. She kept her eyes peeled for a hole in the mountainside; she figured that as long as she didn't pass it, she could just wave down the pirate ships and simply hitch a ride with Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and the army of the dead. Either way it was simple enough.

Except that she'd apparently missed the hole in the mountain, and had wound up waving down actual pirates, who captured her and stuck her in the brig. And unfortunately for her, not one of those pirates was from Pirates of the Caribbean. They vaguely resembled Peter Jackson and some of the WETA crew, but they were smelly and inarticulate and not nice at all. And judging by the way she was handled on the way to the brig, it wasn't going to be long before someone with absolutely no good intentions would be visiting her in her cell. The crew had already been shuffling through to get a look at her; their jeers made her skin crawl, and after only a few minutes, she pulled her hood up to hide her face.

_Only need to hold out until the boys get here_, she kept telling herself as she huddled in the back of the cell. _The boys will be here very, very soon_.

She concluded that coming to meet the boys on the pirate ship had not been the safest idea later, as a pirate entered her cell and she prepared to fight. The man only had half his teeth, and his hair was matted with dirt and grime. He reached for her with a hand so mangled that it hardly resembled a hand. Despite having faced Orcs and Uruk-hai, Riley had to choke down bile. She fought – oh yes, she fought – but the man was much larger than her, and eventually had her pinned against the back wall, one hand clamped tightly around her throat. Riley squirmed and tried to make it as difficult as possible for him to keep a hold of her. He moved his hand from her throat to hold her wrists. Riley gave up keeping as silent as possible to avoid other pirates who might be tempted to join, and began to scream. She kicked and flailed and tried to head-butt him, twisting and turning to try and shake his hands off.

And suddenly, when she hadn't seemed to do anything in particular that might have worked, the pirate froze, his eyes widening. Something deep in his throat gurgled, and he slumped to the ground, revealing behind him a ghost of a soldier. Riley shakily crumbled to the floor, staring up at the ghost, who stared down at her before rising through the ceiling. It was then that she noticed that everyone else on the boat seemed to have been yelling too, though it was quickly quieting down.

A glance at the pirate confirmed that he was dead. Riley snatched the keys from his belt and pulled herself to her feet. She'd never been so unsteady in her life. She could barely get the key into the lock on the cell door; she left the keys there and clasped her hands tightly together, wandering oh-so-slowly toward the steps to the deck. She emerged into the daylight slowly, seeing nothing but ghosts who eyed her without much interest. Her entire body was trembling from the aftereffects of what had almost happened below.

Just then, the crowds of ghosts parted to reveal her friends consulting near the helm. Almost as soon as she saw them, they saw her, and by the next second, Legolas had swept her off her feet and into his arms.

"You're trembling," he breathed against her neck.

This only made her tremble more as she gave way to tears. Legolas's arms tightened around her and Aragorn appeared over his shoulder. "Are you hurt?" he asked. She shook her head.

Gimli raised his axe. "Where's the one that did this to you, child?"

"Below," she choked out. "He's dead."

"And you're not hurt?" Legolas asked, pulling back so that he could look at her. Aragorn and Gimli disappeared down the hatch.

She shook her head again. "Just some bruises; I'll be fine. You all got here just in time."

Legolas nodded almost urgently, kissed the tears from her cheeks, and held her tightly once more. Aragorn and Gimli appeared dragging the body of the pirate up the steps and then violently throwing him over the side of the ship. Finally seeing him gone gave Riley enough strength to force her tears to stop. "I'm… I'm okay. I'm okay." Saying it made it seem true.

Eventually Legolas set her back on her feet, but he kept his arms around her as if the very air meant her harm. Once the plan was set, the ghosts faded and became invisible, and the four friends of the Fellowship huddled together on the floor under the helm. They questioned her about what had happened since they parted ways; their relief was clearly evident when she told them of Faramir meeting Frodo and Sam on their way to Mordor.

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24 pages, over 11 thousand words.

Hope you enjoyed!


	45. To Have Succeeded

Dear Readers,

I forced myself to reread the entirety of Traveler before I posted this final chapter (I even listened to Sk8er Boy to try and figure out what I was thinking), to make sure that I wouldn't miss anything. And at only the beginning I was struck by so much awe over how many of you have continued to stick around, despite Riley's rocky start. I feel your pain. The first chapters (back when I was updating on a regular schedule) are of the sort of writing that now makes me want to grate my eyes out. It's _so _genuinely horrible.

So I wanted to take the time to thank not just those of you who have stuck with me from the beginning (to whom I have clung in the worst moments of self-doubt), but those of you who have since taken me at my word and powered through the trash to reach Traveler at its heart.

My having finally reached the end of this story at all makes me endlessly indebted to your boundless enthusiasm. Without you, I would have quit long ago, and I would have never known that I can, in fact, write.

I want to thank every one of you. My original plan was to go through each chapter's reviews and thank you each individually. Regrettably, I've run out of time.

So thank you for your reviews and for your support, for continuing to read, for adding me to your favorites, for telling your friends about me. For as much as each author creates their own world, I owe you the world.

Thank you!

Love,

Kasey … aka Captain Oblivious… aka Elfin Child.

P.S. Mondo-burger sized thanks to Risa for beta-ing this last, great chapter! :D Thanks, Risa!

* * *

Previously:

_Legolas's grip loosened and dropped away. She twisted her hands to find his before he could move away. Abandoning all pretenses, she stepped closer until they were standing together. "When you come back," she said with soft conviction, "I'll be waiting for you." She pushed up onto her toes and pressed a kiss to his jaw. She squeezed his hands, then stepped back, squared her shoulders, and headed past them all to the caves._

…

_Riley wandered up to the top of the Keep and stood for a long time, looking down at the churning crowd. At first it was only because she thought it would be easier to spot her friends, but for as much as people rushed past her, she began to feel a disconnection from the people below. The more she tried to focus on them, the more she felt pulled away from them, to the extent that the sounds around her faded away, and she felt as if she were floating far above the world, looking down at a scene that she had so longed to be a part of all those years ago._

Do I still think that way? _she wondered quietly. When she looked down at these people, she no longer saw characters in various roles. She saw Shawn and Lana with their family. She saw her mom and dad reuniting after her dad's business trip that had stranded him in Japan for weeks after 9/11. And on top of it all, she remembered Sam's voice over the picturesque scenes of reunion below her that had so strategically avoided the blood and mayhem of loss. "There is some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for." She would never escape unhappiness, Riley now realized. There would always be trouble in any world she traveled to. It was determination to encourage the good that saved people, not the longing for unhappiness to disappear._

_Watching the sunlight break over the crowd below, Riley shoved that familiar feel of anticipation down. She was ready, finally, to commit to fighting for good in the world to which she was born. "But not yet," she told the feeling, and immediately, it dissipated. "I'm not done fighting for good here yet." With that, she caught a glimpse of the sun glinting off a familiar blonde head, and she pulled herself back down to that reality and raced down the steps into Legolas's arms._

_

* * *

  
_

"_I've gotta feelin' that tonight's gonna be a good night."_ --Black Eyed Peas

* * *

"I can fight."

"Riley."

They were approaching the dock at Osgiliath, and Legolas had begun giving her instructions on what to do should anyone board the ship once he and Aragorn and Gimil (and their ghostly back-up). Riley had immediately made to stomp off to prepare for battle, but Legolas had caught her arm and pulled her back, placing his hands on her shoulders and staring her point-blank in the eyes.

"This is not your battle."

Riley opened her mouth to snap back, but froze at a sudden thought. He wouldn't have said that had he expected her to stay. She stared back at him, wondering if he could possibly mean what she thought. She hadn't spoken a word to him about seriously going home in _so_ long. He meant something else, she was sure. But she kept searching his face, wanting him to confirm it. She didn't want it to be callous, didn't want to be cruel; when she told him she's decided to go home, she wanted to explain _why_. She and Legolas had come miles and had _finally_ settled on a mutual understanding of what they _were_ to each other. It seemed like such a dead end to know that what they _were_ would never come to anything.

Legolas smiled sadly, not wincing away or moving his hands. "Do you think I haven't always known that one day you would need to return? When you would, one day, understand that you love your home and are ready to stop clinging to life here and live to the fullest extent where you were meant to? Did you think that in choosing to love you, I was any less the wiser to your future?

"Riley, there was always going to come a time when we would be parted. You are not _living_ here. You don't age, you don't change, you don't leave footprints in your wake. You are not tied to this world. _That_ is what it means to be an Elfin Child, Riley. To never be a part of this world the way you should."

She stumbled over responses in her head, trying to find a way to justify going home, to push the blame to someone else. But it had been her decision, and she knew it, and she knew that she had done the right thing. Still, her guilt choked her and she couldn't stop the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Legolas watched her patiently, maintaining his calm grip on her shoulders, not one bit of his expression bitter or angry.

When she finally could speak, it was still in sobs. "I can't just watch you go out there without knowing you'll come back."

"Soon, I am going to have to let you go, Riley. I am simply asking for you to do the same for me now."

So instead of helping as she'd planned, instead of fighting as she'd trained, instead of being involved at all, Riley crept out of the ship after Legolas and Aragorn and Gimli and the ghosts had driven the orcs off. She found the closest substantial pile of rubble and strategically hunkered down in it, keeping her sword drawn just in case, but for the most part making herself small.

_Legolas had known_. It repeated over and over in her head. The complete lack of surprise in his eyes, the understanding as he'd watched her reaction to his words… he had known, and he had known for a long time. Long enough to have come to terms with it. Long enough to have resisted giving into a love that could not end happily. Long enough to have learned to simply be with her without demanding more.

This man was better than her a thousand times, and she finally had the perspective to realize what it meant that he loved her in spite of herself. And she wanted to be like him.

She wanted to be a little like all of these good people that she'd met. When she got back home, she was going to prove that she could be.

She was huddled in the rubble for a good long while before the battle slowed. As soon as the orcs realized that they were losing, they turned and ran straight for the river. The ghosts were able to keep them at bay when they were gradually escaping from the battle. But as soon as they went into full retreat, they began to slip through the cracks. And they ran straight for the pirate ship.

Riley could have stayed hidden or run for it. But if those orcs got away and lived to torture more people… she began to picture little Freda and Eothain and their mother and father… always running, always followed by the horrors of the war. Well for God's sake, she could at least make sure they didn't get the boat.

She raced on board ahead of the orcs and retreated below deck as they poured onto the ship. When she had been in the hold, kept captive, she had been near the supplies… and she knew exactly where they kept the oldest, most primitive version of a cannon she'd ever seen. It didn't look like the rest of their weapons and she had assumed at the time that it was supplied by Saruman.

The movies had taught her how to properly load a cannon, and it was easy enough to find the gun powder… or the Middle Earth version of it. She knew how to start a fire, thanks to her time traveling with the boys…

In the end, it might have been a better idea to slow down a bit. Granted, if she had, the orcs filtering down the stairs to investigate all the noise might have gotten to her before she lit the fuse, done more than startle her and make her trip and knock the cannon toward the powder and…

Well, like any logical person she screamed and found the most expedient exit – moving so quickly that the orcs couldn't get a hold of her – right into the river just in time to escape the rocking explosion. The force of it knocked her sideways through the water, and it took her almost too long to right herself and figure out which way was up. She surfaced mid-river, gasping for air, and stared.

The pirate ship was on its end, burning and sinking into the harbor.

"Hooooly crap," she gasped.

The blast had given her a relatively wide berth from other escaping orcs and she was able to swim most of the way to shore without being noticed. Once she got close she had to dive under the water to avoid being caught, and finally hauled herself onto the shore behind a pile of rubble and stayed there until the surge of orcs had slowed and she was sure that they wouldn't bother with her when she ventured out.

Soon after she emerged, she spotted Legolas worriedly scanning the harbor where the boat had been, and she ran to him.

Riley threw herself, sopping wet, into Legolas's arms, and held on tight. She couldn't think of what to say in a moment like this, and so she settled for humor. "I'll give you points for the individual men, but I agree with Gimli. That Oliphant still only counts as one."

The joke had its intended effect and Legolas laughed lightheartedly. "And I suppose you could do better?"

She nodded and gestured to the bubbling river. "I blew up a boat that had a bunch of orcs on it!" she said proudly.

Legolas stared at the water in surprise. "You really… _blew up_ a boat?"

"Well," she muttered, scratching her nose, "I _may_ have caused some… _minor_ irreparable damage to the integrity of the hull."

"And you did that by…"

"Pointing a cannon vaguely toward the floor and then tripping and knocking it to face some… er… flammable material?"

"I'll give you points for your intentions but only half, because you didn't actually _intend_ to see those specific results."

She grinned, falling back into banter mode with relief. "Not fair! I didn't know you needed specific _goals_ for this game; no one gave me the syllabus! I _demand_ a recount!'

"We'll convene the council later to determine how the matter shall be handled. Do you have official representation?"

"If you mean a lawyer, no. And I don't need one; I have the truth on my side."

"Melanin, you cannot comprehend the truth."

It was Riley's turn to stare. Who the heck let Jack Nicholson into her story? "If you say 'All work and no play makes Legolas a dull boy,' I am _so_ going to freak out and axe you to death _right now_. Or electrocute you. Or throw you in a vat of toxic waste, though, let's face it, you'll probably just wind up with a superpower. Not that the Joker had a superpower. But most people who get doused in something toxic wind up pretty cool. Like Daredevil, or Alex Mack. Unless you're Britney Spears and then your life just turns to –"

"I have not heard you ramble in this way for months." Riley was startled out of her conversation with herself so abruptly that she couldn't quite remember what had been going on. "Well, you know…" she said, shrugging vaguely.

Legolas laughed. "Yes, I know," he said, steering her toward Minas Tirith, her had tucked safely in his.

Gimli joined them partway there with a characteristic grunt. "I see you managed to avoid injuring yourself," he said.

"She blew up the ship, however," Legolas offered.

Riley cried out indignantly. "Why? Why must you say it like that? I was keeping orcs from escaping and um… yeah, so they won't be able to get anywhere! Like Mordor or Rohan or… those… other places…"

Gimli snorted at her and Riley bashed a fist down on his helmet. "I was trying to be _useful_, you grumpy… oh my gosh. I can't believe I haven't used _one_ Snow White and the Seven Dwarves reference this _entire_ time!"

"Snow _what_?"

"Snow White! She's this princess who sings in a really high voice, and her stepmother wants to kill her because Snow White is more beautiful than she is. And the stepmother is actually a witch (but nobody knows it), so she… well, first, she's the queen, so she sends this dude to take Snow White to the forest to pick flowers or skip and hold hands or something, and she tells him that he has to kill Snow White and cut out her heart. But she's so innocent that he feels bad, and he tells her that she has to escape, and he brings back an animal's heart instead.

"But the queen finds out what he did so she has to think of another way to get Snow White. And in the meantime, Snow White runs through the forest and freaks out and then finds this random house and no one's home, so she just invites herself on in and she and a bunch of animals clean the house and make a ginormous pot of like… broth. And then she decides she's tired and she pushed together these mini beds that she finds upstairs and goes to sleep on them.

"The whole story is that there are seven dwarves that live there – Grumpy, Doc, Dopey, Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful, and Happy. And eventually they win and whatnot, but yeah. There are dwarves."

Gimli appeared even more surly than usual after that, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from pointing out that he was being grumpy as they carefully avoided walking through ghosts as they approached the city. It wasn't long, though, before the ghosts, with a universal, peaceful sigh that was carried on the wind, faded away, and they could see the land around them.

It took hours to meet up with everyone. Legolas and Gimli went off to help carry wounded soldiers to the city gates, and Riley was about to go with them when she spotted Pippin wandering through the multitudes of bodies lying on the ground.

Trying not to think too hard about how she was wading through corpses, she went to meet him.

"Hey, Pip!" she said when she got close. "Watcha doing?"

"Looking for Merry," he replied, voice weighted down with suppressed panic. "No one has seen him."

"Okay," Riley said. She patted him on the back. "I seem to remember an oliphaunt being involved."

The news didn't lessen Pippin's panic. "He's all right, isn't he?"

Riley squinted her eyes, trying to remember exactly what condition they'd find Merry in. "He's hurt pretty bad, but it had to do with the Nazgul, not the oliphaunt."

"_What_?"

"Yeah, long story, right?"

They spent the next hour or so wandering from oliphaunt carcass to oliphaunt carcass, looking for any signs of a Hobbit buried under a body. Riley hadn't realized how very _large_ the Pelennor fields were, or the massive scale of the battle that had just occurred until she was wandering around the entire place. The oliphaunts hadn't exactly all died close together or in a straight line. They were scattered across the field, and she had absolutely _no_ idea which one Merry was near.

There was a certain point at which she could no longer stand her stomach rolling as she stepped over bodies, avoided pools of blood, and, gruesome as it was, slipped on spilled innards. It _hurt_ to stare at face after face and know that these were empty shells of people that were cared about, that had goals and dreams. And after a while, she stopped wondering who those people were and hurting for them now that they were gone. She kept her eyes focused ahead and pushed away the part of her that wanted to hurt over _everything_. This was the way it was. She could not change it. She could not influence it. It was time to accept the situation and move ahead.

As night began to fall that they found Merry. They rushed to his side, and Riley helped Pippin tug the body off of him. Pippin immediately bent over Merry and urgently began to prod him into consciousness.

Once they had begun to speak to each other quietly, and Riley was assured that there hadn't been some grand mishap and Merry was not dead, she straightened and scanned the horizon, wondering at the best way to get Merry back to the Houses of Healing in the city.

Everyone else had already started back for the city and were a considerable distance from them, so there was no one to help carry Merry. She reasoned that she could manage it fairly well so long as she didn't trip as much as one their journey out. Still, though Merry was quite a bit smaller than her, he was a bit wider than she was, and didn't weigh so much less. Carrying him back would take far too long.

How did Pippin manage to get him back on his own, she wondered. He must have run for help, or else screamed his head off…

She ruled that out and was just deciding to go back and hoist Merry into her arms when she heard a snort from the other side of the oliphaunt. _Oh of all the luck…_ It was probably the one remaining orc in the entire field, who would now kill them all dead. Or it could be an injured soldier who had yet to be found! Riley stepped forward, hand on the hilt of her sword, but she didn't need it.

Oolore came slowly around the oliphaunt's hindquarters, sniffing the ground curiously.

Riley stared. The last time she had seen Oolore, she'd instructed him to run as fast as he could away from the pirates that had caught them both by surprise on the riverbank.

"Well aren't you just the convenient plot point!" she exclaimed.

Oolore snorted in response.

Riley sheathed her sword and put her hands on her hips. "So I suppose, all-knowing horse that you are, you already know why we're here?"

Oolore walked straight past her to Merry and Pippin.

"Of course you do." Riley sighed heavily and decided she just didn't care anymore. "Do you think you can carry all three of us?"

Oolore made it easy on them by kneeling as he had done when Riley's leg was broken, so it was easy to make sure Merry was secure in the saddle and supported in Riley's arms, with Pippin holding on behind her, before they were high up in the air. He walked slowly through the field, but this time it was a straight, steady line to Minas Tirith.

Legolas was looking for her at the city gates, and led them swiftly to the Houses of Healing. He and Riley saw Merry safely into a bed and Oolore to a nearby remnant of a stable before they retreated deep into the city to find a quiet place to sit and rest. As they had in Helm's Deep, Legolas sat against the wall, and Riley curled into his arms.

They didn't speak, just closed their eyes and relaxed into each other, savoring what they could of their remaining time.

The next day they made their way to meet Gandalf, Aragorn, Eomer, and Gimli to discuss the next course of action.

Riley amused herself by wandering up and down the steps to the throne in the Hall of Kings while the others took account of their losses. _Theoden dead; Eowyn, Faramir, Merry injured. Countless others the same._

She didn't have it in her to be grave anymore. She understood. She empathized. But she was going to squeeze every last delicious drop of life out of these experiences that she could, and she refused to let depression slow her down.

"Do you have any suggestions?" It took her a moment for her to realize that this question had been directed at her. She turned, wide-eyed, to face the leaders in the room. Each of them stared at her expectantly.

"Uh… where were we?" she asked.

They all but rolled their eyes at her, with the exception of Gandalf, who actually did roll his eyes at her. "We were formulating a plan for what to do next," he said with exaggerated slowness.

She stared back at him, feigning boredom. "And you have decided… what?"

Aragorn stepped in quickly before Gandalf or Riley could throw a temper tantrum. "There are only two choices left to us. And with your… _knowledge_ of what will befall us… do we run and hide for as long as we can? I would rather fight, if not to save ourselves, then—"

"Then to give Frodo a chance to succeed," Riley finished. Her body tingled in a moment of déjà vu. This… this was finally when she could tell them. They were all at that certain point when it didn't _matter_ what they had to give; if it was everything they had and more, they would give it because that's the sort of men they were. It made her grin. She couldn't screw anything up. She couldn't change their minds. It was plain as day that they were resolved, and she rejoiced. "You need to go to the Gate and draw Sauron's eye to you long enough for Frodo to make it into Mount Doom. Gollum will take care of the rest. And soon you'll have both Hobbits back safe and sound. Well… Frodo will be missing a finger, but all things considered…." She shrugged and grinned.

Slowly, the faces that stared back at her began to beam. Riley beamed back, fidgeting with giddy happiness. "Just watch out for trolls!" she declared, laughing. "Especially you, Aragorn, that thing heads straight for you. Oh, and don't stray too far from the group, cuz that blow-out's going to be huge and the ground underneath will cave in…."

She kept talking. She talked over maps and in armories. She talked to leaders and to her friends. If it had been a movie it would have been shot in a montage of war preparation and pep talks.

"Can I come can I come can I please, please come?" The montage came to a screeching halt when Riley started begging to come and Legolas said no. "But I know exactly where to stand so I don't get hurt or in the way!" She huffed. "Look, I _always_ wanted to be there for that moment, to experience something that big, to know what a real _war_ with this significance is like. I'm not a moron; if I actually made it into a situation like that, I'd be killed, probably before anyone else, because I'm no warrior. Valar, I can barely hold my sword. But this time I know where to be. If I stand at the back I won't even be touched. The back of the formation hardly sees the battle come their way before everything collapses and the enemy runs.

"Look, if I sound like a petulant child, then… well, then I sound the way I always do, don't I? If that's the case, then tell me no and do what you need to, to keep me safe.

"… but we both know I'm going home. And I want to be there. I want to be there with you."

There, she had said it. It wasn't unsaid, it wasn't subtle. She was going home.

Legolas never let go of her hand after that, and once Haldir (who had joined forces with the Rohirrim and continued fighting) heard of the predicament, he grudgingly offered to stand guard over Riley at the battle. He did, after all, owe her his life.

All the way out to the Gate, Legolas kept her close by his side. He made sure that she had a decent bow with her and that she was positioned at the back of the formation. "If they get too close or the fight turns sour, get her out of here," he told Haldir, both grave.

She'd never seen Legolas so serious, and she told him so. "I am always serious where you are concerned," he told her.

"Except when we're discussing points."

"Except when we're discussing points." He glanced behind him at the still-forming lines. "I had better join the others at the front," he said.

"See you on the other side, Tex." He gave her a puzzled, albeit amused, look. "Tomorrow is another day. It is my density. Sincerely, the Breakfast Club. Follow the yellow brick road. I feel the need, the need for –"

"Oh shut up!" Haldir snapped. "Valar, that you had stayed in the caves at Helm's Deep and I had died."

Riley gave him what she considered her Glare of Doom, muttering beneath her breath, "Scruffy-looking nerf herder."

He muttered something Elvish and rude back.

"Well, I am glad to be assured of your safety," Legolas said sarcastically. Riley laughed.

"Don't worry about a thing; Haldir and I'll fight 'em off." She patted his arm.

Legolas kissed her forehead, and then left for the front.

In the midst of a horde of soldiers, Riley and Haldir stood awkwardly side-by-side. Riley could only stand still for a few minutes before she started bouncing on the balls of her feet and then rocking from heel to toe. Haldir ignored her for a good while, right up until she started performing clumsy renditions of N*SYNC dances (she'd never been much of a dancer. The most she could pull off was some short versions of the current club beat-driven dances).

"Will you stop that?"

Riley switched to a new dance. "Stop what? Is this better? What are you talking about, Haldir?"

Haldir inhaled and exhaled slowly through his nose.

"Do you know the Macarena?" she asked, demonstrating.

He didn't respond, ignoring her completely.

Riley huffed and fell back into a normal stance, giving up. After a while, the stirring of the soldiers around them slowed, and Riley could vaguely make out that someone from far away was yelling. _Must be Aragorn_, she finally concluded.

She peeked sideways at the stoic Haldir. "So… can you hear his epic speech?"

Haldir remained silent, pointedly ignoring her.

"Aw come on, Haldir. Won't you be my neighbor?"

His lip curled in distaste. "You have suggested that before."

"Have I, seriously? Dude, I need to go back if only to get some new lines." She rocked on her feet quietly for a moment. "So… can you hear Aragorn?"

"… but a faint murmur."

"Oh geez. Should we yell when everyone else yells?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Okay, good. Cuz otherwise we'll seem even punier than we already are. And size does matter in these things, I've heard."

"As in others."

It took her a second. And then she turned, ever so slowly, to gape at the Elf. "Did… did you…"

A tiny, insolent smirk quirked his top lip.

"**OH. MY. GOSH**!" Riley yelled, then lowered her voice. "_You made a penis joke_." She about died laughing. Luckily, Aragorn had chosen that moment to conclude his inspiring speech, and everyone around them had taken to screaming their support, so the hysteria near the back went largely unnoticed.

When she came back to herself, Riley basked in the now-companionable silence. They had a minute or so until Aragorn dismounted at the front of the line and they all charged forward, she remembered, so she tried to think of something to say to Haldir.

"Why haven't you gone to the Havens yet? Why fight?"

Haldir eyed her suspiciously.

She shrugged. "Well, I mean, why risk your life when you could be safe with your people far away from the danger?"

He nodded, visibly considering his answer. "That is the stance that 'my people,' as you call them, have generally taken. But there are those of us who recognize that while it is more pleasant to imagine the Elves has a superior race, we are in just as much danger as the rest. Even the Havens will not go completely untouched should we lose this war."

Riley stared in awe. She hadn't thought of that. She, too, had considered the Elves mostly untouchable, and hadn't concerned herself with their race.

"I am old enough to have known many of the race of man. So I do not fight only for Elves. I fight in honor of the friends that I have made throughout this world in my life."

There was a long silence between them. Far ahead, they could hear shouts as the front began their fight against the hordes flowing from the gates of Mordor.

Taking a deep breath, Riley turned to her companion. "You're totally cool, Haldir."

"I shall take that as an expression of admiration."

"You should."

As she had said, the fight never really reached them. When she could see Mordor between heads of the soldiers in front of her, she looked out for any danger coming their way, but mostly observed the actual expanse of Mordor. The gate itself was huge, expanding far into the sky above their heads, blocking most of the land behind it from view. What she _could_ see, though, was frightening.

The army of Mordor streamed endlessly through the gates, never faltering or staggered in amount. Surrounding them was a grey landscape of jagged hills, pockets of crevasses, and bursts of flame lighting only some. Most of it was dark, simply empty of anything. Far away, a mountain rose up, massive and ominous. It cast the most light on the land below, firelight from within shining through cracks on its sides. Its mouth poured darkness into the skies above, casting the entire land into shadow. Mount Doom.

Stationed far inside the gates, between them and Mount Doom, was a huge black tower, which was chilling and threatening, and on top was the most frightening thing Riley had ever seen.

All comfort and ease left her as she stared up at the great, lidless Eye; it scanned the battle below, its attention drawn just as they'd hoped. But it was terrifying. Her heart felt as though it had fallen into her stomach, and her breath seemed to be caught, motionless, in her lungs. She could not take her eyes away; they were glued to it in horror. Her limbs felt weak and her eyes stung as she watched, unblinking.

A hand clapped down on her shoulder and startled her enough that she could peel her eyes away. Haldir was watching her stonily, but kept a bracing hand on her shoulder. "They are coming near," he said.

Riley turned her attention back to the ground outside the gates, standing on tip-toe to see what was going on. There were lines five-men deep standing between them and the battle. The men around them were shifting impatiently, waiting for there to be room for them to leap into the fray. Riley drew her bow and an arrow, strung the arrow, and held it pointed toward the ground, ready to lift and fire. Haldir held his sword casually beside him, still keeping his hand on her shoulder.

"I promised Legolas that I would keep you safe. _Please_ do not run off."

"You betcha."

"You understand that, do you not?"

"No exiting Haldir's vicinity, check."

"Stay within the swing of my sword."

"What if you accidentally chop my arm off?"

"I will not."

"What if you do?"

"… the prince asked me to keep you alive. He said nothing about loss of limb."

"… are you kidding?"

"We shall see when it comes to it."

"_When_?"

"If."

Riley narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you really going to chop my arm off?"

"I will do what I can to prevent it."

"Is that all you can do?"

"It is."

"Well, so long as you at least try and keep in mind that I'd like to keep my limbs intact."

"Duly noted."

By the time the battle reached them, it was largely due to the enemy encircling them. Riley focused on using her bow, because at least with that, she had some semblance of skill. Haldir covered her, weaving a circle around her as she first struck the enemy down, and then collected the arrows. In all, they saw very little action before a rumble caused the ground beneath their feet to quake. Riley paused with everyone else to stare up at the Eye, which was pointed in the exact opposite direction, at Mount Doom, as it roared and quivered.

The air filled with an angry, terrible scream, and the tower, which had stood so tall and menacing, began to crumble.

Riley, who knew for sure what it meant, shrieked and leapt in the air, cheering. As the tower collapsed and the Eye fell with it, the others followed suit and broke into a massive huzzah. The Eye winked out just before it plunged to the ground, and the innate fear Riley felt in its presence vanished. They all screamed even louder. They had done it; Frodo had succeeded.

But when the Eye disappeared, the force holding Mordor together also ceased, and the land exploded. It started with the mountain, and its force stopped everyone mid-cheer. Even this far away, they could feel the heat as the volcano burst, shattering the ground around and under it. All of Mordor began to sink.

She knew what was happening, and she knew that she had nothing to fear. But for the same reason that a sudden drop on a roller coaster can choke you with inexplicable fear, so this startled Riley into silence. She edged closer to Haldir, who stood in Elvish alarm – that is, he frowned slightly and stood perfectly still.

The subsequent explosions that accompanied the collapse of the earth around them made Riley start, and she huddled in on herself and closer to Haldir. Haldir moved only slightly, but managed to strike a protective angle near her. Riley covered her ears with her hands to block out the thunder of rocks crashing and sliding and cracking into one another.

Everyone stood silent, edging close to each other and into a circular formation as the collapsing ground spread around them, swallowing every bit of the enemy into the depths of the fiery, molten rock current far below. The heat of it rushed up and engulfed them, but the cracks in the ground did not spread any closer.

Riley was still staring around at what was happening when suddenly someone was shaking her, gripping her roughly by her upper arms. "Where are they, Riley?" Gandalf was standing before her, demanding to know if it was time to retrieve Frodo and Sam.

"You're still _here_?" she shrieked. "Dude, they're _melting_!"

She hadn't even noticed the eagles that had set down around them until Gandalf was off, flying toward the remains of Mount Doom, with them. The gates had fallen with the rest of Mordor, and the destruction was plain to see. Where there had been a land, now there was only an enormous crater that bubbled and surged at the bottom. Everything had fallen away… she stared.

"Are your limbs intact?"

"What?" Riley turned her attention back to her own vicinity and found herself surrounded by her friends. Aragorn was adjusting his armor. Merry and Pippin were counting something on their fingers, while Gimli rolled his eyes at them. Legolas was standing directly in front of her, bent to her level. Haldir was next to her, albeit a bit farther away, and exasperated.

"Are your limbs," he repeated slowly, "intact?"

"Oh," she said. "Yes." She got the feeling that they'd been trying to get her attention for a while, and had only just succeeded.

"We should begin our journey back," Aragorn said, drawing Merry and Pippin's attention. "Gandalf will be far ahead of us, and I for one would like to hear Frodo and Sam's tale."

"Frodo doesn't have a tail, nor does Sam," Pippin offered.

"No, _tale_, not tail," Merry muttered to him quietly as the rest sheathed their weapons and called the attention of the soldiers around them to begin the journey.

Some stayed behind to gather the wounded or dead and to carry them back. Aragorn, Haldir, Legolas, Riley, Gimli, and the two Hobbits, traveled in front, leading the way. While the gate had seemed extraordinarily close on the way out, on the way back to the city, it seemed to have moved miles away. The journey was slow and long, and they were all exhausted, but exhilarated.

They were finally rid of the enemy. The sheer length of the struggle hadn't seemed real to Riley until she had been in the midst of it. And what she had seen was a mere sliver of the horror that Sauron had unleashed on Middle Earth. She was perfectly willing to believe that they were, indeed, rid of him, but the very concept of it must have baffled everyone around her. The Hobbits seemed slightly shell-shocked, and they hadn't even known about Sauron until a couple of years ago. No one knew how to react.

So Riley held Legolas's hand and kept quiet.

It took them days to begin to understand that they were free. In that time, Frodo and Sam (who had, of course, been retrieved by Gandalf and transported safely back to the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith) awoke.

Sam woke up first, looking around the room at his reception much more calmly than anyone had ever seen him. Riley greeted him with a potted plant and told him that it was a job well done, and that it was very much worth it. He still remained composed, only smiling for the first time when he came with them to greet Frodo when he had woken up too. They were both far more grave than anyone could remember.

It was weeks before Aragorn's coronation was held. The weeks were filled with repairs on the city, organization of the citizens to make sure there was enough to eat and places for them to stay. Absolutely everyone helped. Riley helped the most with Eowyn and Faramir, who were desperate to work, but too weak to yet do much. They found a central place at which to collect all available food and hand it out. They kept it organized, clean and dry, and directed the preparation of meals for the workers who were rebuilding the city. Eowyn was _not_ involved in making the soup.

The coronation seemed to be the event of the age, and was approached with as much anticipation. The entire city halted reconstruction the week before so that they could prepare.

Riley, Legolas, and Haldir sneaked out to greet the delegation of Elves the evening before. Riley squealed and ran to hug Arwen as soon as she saw her. Haldir and Legolas greeted the other Elves in a much more dignified way and traditional way. Riley, however, felt absolutely no need to do any of that and continued going from person to person, hugging and greeting and generally exuding happiness. It was all a massive secret from Aragorn that the Elves, and most especially, Arwen, were here. They were ushered quietly to their quarters and the others left to assist with final preparations as if nothing had happened.

The next day, the Fellowship parted company and went to their people for the coronation. Legolas took Riley with him, insisting despite her protests that she was welcome among the Elves and that she would not, as she said, "ruin their rep, yo." As the Elves gathered in preparation, Arwen pulled Riley aside.

"Galadriel thought you might like this," she said, displaying a long, flowing gown.

Excitement bubbled in Riley's stomach. The Elves of Lorien had some of the most beautiful, most comfortable clothing Riley had ever experienced, and to have a gown specifically made for her… she couldn't help an excited giggle as she and Arwen practically dove into a nearby room. Arwen helped her into the gown, which both hugged her and _flowed_. It was a gorgeous mix of pale shades of white and pink, with light yellow embroidered around the edges.

Riley had never been one to display a particularly daring side when it came to the cut of her clothes; the plunging, swooping neckline made her feel beautiful without compromising her modesty, and without displaying the scar from having Frodo's mithril shirt ground into her chest in Moria.

She looked light, summery, and rosy as the colors complimented her skin. Arwen set to work, taming Riley's hair into Elvish elegance, and they stepped out of the room a short while later to join the other Elves.

Lord Elrond smiled at his daughter, bringing her close to say a last goodbye to her. Riley had given up pretending she didn't want Legolas's approval. She smiled warmly and walked to him, quirking an eyebrow in a silent "How do I look?"

She needn't have worried or even asked. They were far past the time for pretending to each other, and Legolas held his hands out for her the moment she stepped from the room. As far as anyone was concerned, Riley belonged to Legolas, and vice versa. Legolas drew her close and wrapped her hands around his arm. "We are to lead the delegation, as part of the Fellowship," he told her. "Aragorn has requested that the Fellowship be held in high esteem."

Riley gulped, eyes widening in the slightest. She'd barely been talked into joining the Elves in the first place, and now she was to help him lead it.

"You look beautiful," Legolas told her, leaning close to kiss her cheek.

She grinned. "Thanks."

They took their places among the throng of people and the coronation began. Riley reached behind her to hold Arwen's hand; she could practically feel the nerves rolling off of her. In all, the ceremony was very short. Riley watched tearfully as Aragorn took his rightful place as king, and her friends' lives began to finally change for the better.

Aragorn walked through the crowd, greeting his friends and acknowledging leaders.

He passed Eowyn and Faramir, and Legolas led Riley forward, the delegation of Elves following them.

True to form, Riley leapt at Aragorn when he reached her, hugging him tightly round the middle. Aragorn chuckled and hugged her back fondly. "Thank you for your enthusiasm, mellonim." Riley laughed along with him. She stepped back and exchanged a look with Legolas, and they stepped aside to let the others forward.

Riley watched Aragorn's face as Arwen stepped from behind the banner she was carrying. Manly man though he was, Aragorn's reserve crumbled as he realized who stood before him. Riley reached for the banner and took it from Arwen's hands, leaving them free to reunite. Beautiful, _right_. Oh how she wished she could have had that assurance with Legolas.

The two composed themselves quickly so that Aragorn could continue honoring his guests, but their smiles continued to quiver with excitement. Riley carefully displayed the banner and followed along behind them with the delegation. They turned a corner in the crowd and were suddenly facing the four Hobbits.

The crowd bowed along with Aragorn, and Riley followed suit. Did half these people understand what they were honoring? Did they have any inkling of what these Hobbits had endured? Riley knew she must have been one of the few. The people from Gondor had lived in oppression and without leadership. The Elves had long memories, and the Dwarves kept their stories. But the Hobbits had been untouched, had been completely unaware. And they had learned to shine.

After the coronation, the entire city began to celebrate. The leaders and close friends gathered in the hall of kings to have a massive banquet. The entire Fellowship took their places at the head table near the king and his soon-to-be queen. The hall partied into the night with giddy abandon.

Riley listened as the Fellowship excitedly began to discuss what they could do with their lives. They'd all gotten a taste for adventure – a peaceful, non-threatening adventure that they could enjoy without fear for the fate of the world. Aragorn was looking forward to rebuilding Gondor; Eowyn and Eomer (and soon, Faramir) would be doing the same in Rohan. Merry and Pippin were excited to move ahead with their respective jobs. Legolas and Gimli were discussing where else they would like to explore before they headed back home. Even Frodo and Sam were happy to be going home, exchanging stories of what they were most looking forward to.

Riley watched quietly. The weight of the war had lifted, allowing her to see them as though she was looking back in time. They belonged in this world, and she was struck, for the first time, with how much of an outsider she was, how disconnected. These people had never longed to leave, had never wished for a different land. They simply _lived_, as best they could, as fully as they could. She smiled.

She rose and crept through a side door out into the night air. She breathed deeply, shutting her eyes and wrapping her arms securely around herself.

"It has been quite a long time since you came to us," a voice came from behind her.

She smiled. "Do you see an improvement?" She turned to look at him.

Gandalf smiled back, stepping forward to encircle her in his arms. "I see a great amount of change, some of it better than others." Riley snorted. "You have grown, as we all must do. Your confidence in yourself now would astound the Riley of long ago."

"And the bad stuff?"

"Oh Riley; had you not toyed with others' lives and manipulated them because you selfishly chose to better yourself… you would not have been able to make the decision you are about to carry out."

It stung. "Was I wrong to try to better myself?"

"Everyone must choose whether to better themselves or not. And unfortunately, often the good decisions we make hurt those around us. Choosing to do what is right will never make you wrong, Riley. It just hurts because you are not choosing to follow the easy road."

A gentle humming swept around them on the breeze. Riley smiled bitterly and sang softly, now understanding. "The road goes ever on and on…"

Gandalf nodded, singing the rest with her.

"Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say."

"Good luck at home, Riley," the wizard said, gathering her in his arms and giving her a warm hug. "You now have all you need to thrive. The others will understand."

She burst into unhappy tears as Gandalf stepped back inside.

She loved her friends dearly, cared about their happiness. She would never see them again. Somehow, it was right that she was not saying goodbye. They had always accepted her as the tag-along, but had never _needed_ her company. In the darkest days, perhaps she had brought some liveliness and reminded them of the joy they had forgotten. But their lives were right now. They had opportunity before them and much to look forward to.

Even Frodo could look forward to the Havens.

She could slip quietly from their lives as suddenly and inexplicably as she'd come.

Still, a deep, aching sadness made it difficult to breathe. She'd always been sentimental, and a complete separation from everything that she had held dear for so much of her life made her feel empty, devoid of support. For the first time since she had first come to Middle Earth, Riley felt a crippling insecurity grip her, and she struggled to throw it off.

But then, this entire journey had been about being secure in herself without anyone else's help, hadn't it?

"It is lucky that I noticed you leaving. I could accuse you of not saying goodbye."

Riley laughed and turned to him. "I would have come to find you, Legolas, you dork."

He was holding something in his hand – a leather satchel, much like a backpack. "Ah, dork am I? Perhaps I should rejoin the others inside…"

"No!" Riley grabbed his hand, pulling him further outside with her. "Stay with me a little while longer, okay?" She leaned against the stone railing and gazed out over Gondor. For once, it was simply night, the only light from the moon and glittering stars. There was no ominous darkness hovering in the distance, casting shadows over the valley. It was peaceful.

Legolas wrapped his arms around her from behind and leaned his cheek against her temple. "A different world than you've seen before."

She nodded. "It's harmless."

They stood quietly together for quite some time, neither willing to let the other go so soon. Eventually, though, they parted.

"What will you do?" he asked.

"Take a break," she said. "I don't really know. I'll try to fix my life, I guess."

"You won't have much to fix."

"Not my life, exactly… more my attitude toward it. Toward the people I knew."

Legolas smiled at her, genuinely, teasingly. "And will you finally marry?"

_Someone who's not you?_ "I don't know."

He pulled her close and wrapped her securely in his arms. "Riley if you hope to succeed there, you cannot keep clinging to this life."

"Can't I cling to you?" She buried her face in his chest.

He chuckled, holding her away from him so that he could look at her. "No, melanin. Not even me."

"I don't want to waste my time looking for someone new. I want _you_."

"And you cannot always have what you _want_, can you?"

There was a long silence between them. Riley struggled to find the strength to step away. It had been such a long road to finally find _him_. And even though she knew that she was doing what was right, she just couldn't bear to let go.

Tears choked her. "I'll never find anyone as good as you."

He smiled and brushed his hand across her cheek, catching the tears before they could go far. "I think… that you may come out of this experience a bit wiser… and a bit more willing to look at the world and the people you know from a different perspective."

"You… you think I already know him?"

Legolas smiled secretively. "You are asking me about other men?" he teased.

Riley flushed, throwing her hands in the air. "Oh for the love of P---" He pressed his lips to hers, effectively cutting her protests short.

That sensation could never have lasted long enough, and he pulled away too soon, resting his forehead against hers. "I love you, dear melanin."

"I love you too, Leaf."

He kissed the back of her hand, a gentleman always, and pressed something into her hands. Riley pressed her eyes shut, savoring each fleeting touch, and then, before she had even come close to her fill of just being _near_ him, there was a shift in the air around her. Legolas wasn't touching her anymore, and she couldn't bear to open her eyes. Everything around her and in her felt _empty_. Slowly, achingly, instinctively, she curled in on herself.

* * *

_The entire club was in an uproar. For seconds after the disappearance, no one had been able to move, and everything had gone deadly silent. The first sound had been a scream, and had snapped the stunned audience out of their shock._

_Jeremy's mind had gone numb and everything moved slowly, like molasses, but one thought was screaming at him. __Riley had known__. Maybe not that it would happen again, but she had known that it _could_ happen._

_Jeremy had been snapping pictures with Riley's digital camera, when someone had bumped into him and he had fallen to the ground. The camera had skidded out onto the stage next to Riley's feet, and then it had happened, and the camera was gone too._

_Jeremy followed Dean as he ran out onto the stage, searching in vain for the superstar. The audience was scrambling in all directions, shouting and crying. Security was trying to keep the crowd under control, but it wasn't working._

_Stopping in middle down-stage, Jeremy gazed out over the crowd. It had been at least two minutes… hadn't Riley said that her first adventure was instantaneous? Shouldn't she be back by now?_

_Everyone was in a frenzy. Television cameras were sweeping the audience, looking for any sign of order. Just then, there was a collective gasp, and Jeremy spun around._

The only sound then was the echo of shifting weight and the clatter of cups tumbling to the floor as they all stared at the woman huddled in the middle of the stage.

After a long moment of not thinking at all, Jeremy shook himself into action. Slow, hardly-moving action, but still. He crept toward the woman not quite believing what he had just seen – Riley had popped out of existence to be replaced a moment later by a woman clothed in a light, shimmering gown.

The woman took a slow, shuddering breath, and Jeremy froze, not wanting to frighten her. He crouched down so that he was eye-level with her. Her head tipped up, her eyes cracking open. Jeremy was struck simultaneously with a powerful relief and a bone-chilling horror.

The woman in front of him had been through wars. She had the air of someone who had suffered, had been dragged through the muck of the world and prevailed. Gone was the carefree girl who had been on-stage only minutes before. This, indeed, was a woman, and she had lost too much. Where before, he could literally see her sensibilities bouncing along high above his head, this new Riley's eyes held a subdued quality. As she squinted, scanning the area around her blankly, Jeremy watched in startled awe.

Her mind – the way she process information – was much the same as it had always been. But she was grounded, the way you become when you fully understand and correlation between action and consequence.

She had grown up.

At that, her wandering eyes landed on him. A flicker of recognition made her pause to study him. Her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Jeremy," she said softly, the croak in her voice drawing his attention to the tear tracks on her cheeks.

He moved immediately to her side and brushed her hair – so much longer than it had been minutes ago – away from her face gently.

"Can you help me up?"

He lifted her to her feet; though her limbs trembled with the effort, she tried to do it herself, seeming to try and force her body to cooperate. The Riley he knew would have collapsed in his arms and clung to him as if he was her shield.

Riley put one shaking foot in front of the other until she had made her way off stage. In one of her hands, she clutched a sort of backpacking satchel you might find in Nepal. She made her way backstage, past her crew and the club owner and manager. Shawna and Dean ran to join them but Riley didn't seem to notice. In the club, the crowd had begun to stir anxiously.

"Riley!" Riley's parents burst through the backstage. Instead of reacting slowly as she had to Jeremy, or barely seeming to register them as she had with Shawn, Riley threw herself at her parents, falling into their arms and clinging to them. "I love you I love you I love you," she kept saying over and over as she buried herself in their embraces.

In the weeks that followed, Riley settled back into her life with all the grace of a newborn colt. It was lucky, all things considered, that she had been on the verge of a very large vacation, because it meant there was no hectic routine for her to struggle back into. The uproar at the club caused by her disappearance and subsequent reappearance had a lot of important people scrambling for interviews, but in an uncharacteristic twist, Riley Ashton had broken her lease at her Manhattan apartment and disappeared off the map. Very few people (her manager included) could find her in those days. Even fewer could find out what was actually going on.

Riley's parents had accepted her back home eagerly. She was so catatonic to begin with that she didn't notice that her room had gone unchanged, and that Jeremy, Shawna, and Dean hardly left. The one thing that she did notice was that no matter what time it was, no matter how far she buried herself under her blankets and pillows, this world was so friggin _loud_. There was always a hum, always something mechanical causing noise somewhere, and she couldn't sleep through it. Jeremy crouched in front of her for hours, speaking quietly into a cell phone while they made arrangements to accommodate her. Her parents shut down all atmosphere controls in their house, doing what they could to quiet things down. In her more lucid moments Riley recalled that her house had always been a quiet place, as if her parents had purposefully made it a place of retreat.

Her mother was a fantastic cook. Very little of her meals came from boxes or cans, for which Riley was now grateful. Her dad knew how to tickle her funny bone and make her feel better about everything. Riley found herself horrified over how ungrateful she had been for her life in the past.

Shawn got fed up waiting for Riley to readjust and finally burst into her room one day, ripping open her curtains and declaring loudly, "Got something for you!"

Riley only stared at her, squinting in the light.

Shawn chucked a hefty package onto Riley's lap. "There," she said. "Looked through your backpack do-hickey and found your camera. Figured you'd want those asap given last time and the whole… picture deal."

It was the first thing that had made Riley sit up besides the need to pee. Her camera… she hadn't even _thought _of her camera in a year, and she certainly hadn't had it with her for that last bit of their journey.

Riley tore frantically at the wrappings, dumping thousands of pictures into her lap all at once. She found herself staring at picture after picture of candid shots. Whenever she had set the camera down, someone must have picked it up and continued its journey.

_Everyone_ was there, from Legolas to Fifi to Freda. There were landscape shots and awkward shots of people who had clearly not known what was going on. There were pictures of her sitting with her friends and laughing with them. There were some pictures that were deliberate, some by accident, some staged. Pippin licking a wall in Gondor, Faramir imitating Boromir's scowl, Elrond with a grape in hand, Aragorn grinning insanely as he had in his more playful moments, Arwen pulling Riley's dress for the coronation from a wardrobe.

It was _everything_.

Riley burst out laughing, rifling through the pictures rapidly, trying to scan them all at once. She reached the bottom of the pile… and froze.

Two pictures immediately caught her eye. One was of Legolas holding her on the balcony in Minas Tirith that last night. The other was of the rest of the Fellowship, standing far back in the shadows, watching with smiles. Some of them were waving, some simply grinning. It was them saying goodbye.

Riley was never exactly the same. She moved to a secluded cabin deep within the Sierra mountains and entirely abandoned her pop star image. Even after she regained her footing in her noisy world, she spent most of her time in the cabin, writing music on her own terms and learning to apply all that she'd learned to what life she had now.

Jeremy was the one who eventually pulled her back into the open, provided her a way to share herself with the world without falling victim to it. A lot of people liked her new genre. A lot of people didn't.

Often, she ached for her old friends, for life to be familiar and easy. But she knew she was in the right place, and that eventually this would be familiar too. What made Riley happy was doing what she was good at. She had worked long and hard to find out who she was, and what made it all worth it was the fact that, now, she knew what she wanted, knew what she was good at, knew that she didn't need to be needed to do something meaningful.

And after a while, her memories of all that had happened faded. At first it was set aside, as our memories sometimes are when we are occupied.

Few actually knew where she had been. Fewer believed it. Jeremy and Shawna had experienced her after her first trip, and knew it was real. Dean had spent enough time with them that he was sure something they said was true. Dean and Shawn began a romance that was heated and passionate and faster than anything. After a while, they too forgot the truth in it, and humored her more than anything. Riley knew her parents could not quite grasp it, and so never asked them to.

Jeremy was the one that kept her going. When Riley couldn't remember the color of Aragorn's eyes, he framed a photo for her. Years later when she began to forget the names of places, he commissioned an artist to make her a painting of Middle Earth the size of a wall. When she decided that she was too alone in her cabin, he moved in and designated an upstairs library as the Lord of the Rings room, and proceeded to fill it with tangible bits of evidence: her gowns, her pictures, her necklace, and other souvenirs.

When Jeremy and Riley had been married for 10 years, Riley began to forget where she had been. Jeremy combined her music room and her LotR room so that she would be surrounded by her friends always. When their children would ask for stories, Jeremy would encourage Riley to tell them about her time in Middle Earth, and would fill in the gaps of what she forgot.

He worked hard throughout their life together to never allow her to let go. He had watched Riley grow, had seen the difference that her journeys had made in her, and had rejoiced when she had finally come back whole. Riley dedicated her life to mentoring and giving people the tools to express themselves. Jeremy did what he could to keep her Middle Earth experiences fresh in her mind in an attempt to honor those people who helped her to become who she was.

By the time they had grandchildren, her memories had become a simple story she had created when she was young. The library was mostly packed up and set in the attic, but Jeremy insisted that some of the more important pictures – the Fellowship setting out from Rivendell, Boromir and Riley attempting to simultaneously ruffle each other's hair, Legolas holding her hands – be kept framed and strategically placed throughout the room.

When she passed the pictures, Riley would always smile. It may have only been a story, but she was fond of it and always had the vague feeling that she'd forgotten a key element.

When Riley passed away, Jeremy had her dressed in a combination of the two dresses she had brought back, and had her beautiful, intricate, delicate flower necklace placed about her neck; the pictures were scattered around her, and a bouquet of dried flowers (a gift from Jeremy on their fiftieth anniversary) placed in her hands.

Instead of a wake, the family held a celebration of life. Their little secluded cabin was filled with laughter and joy as they shared story after story of Riley's life.

She had done good.

* * *

Epilogue.

The last boat is waiting for him, most of the others already aboard. Gimli is grumbling that the boat is far too Elvish for his taste. His voice is lower than it once was, and more gruff. The gentle lapping of the sea against the hull nearly drowns out the shouting of the men farther inland, who are in the midst of building some sort of "running water" experimental contraption that has become popular in the last few years.

_Middle Earth does not exist to the other people in my world. It is a fictional place from a well-known story_.

"I fear that the Middle Earth that we both knew is nearing its end," he murmurs, clutching the book tighter.

_Darn straight_, she chimes in softly.

"It is difficult to believe that I am never to see this place again."

_If I did it, you can definitely do it, Mr. I-Can-Do-Anything-Because-I'm-An-Elf._

"You had a home to return to. I am leaving mine."

_You left your home a long, long time ago. Have you really been so unhappy with your life?_

He chuckles. "No, I have never been unhappy with my life."

_Even when I left you?_

"Not even then. During the time that you were here, you made my life better. You could never have made any part of my life worse."

_Except now you're talking to yourself, so I _must_ have done _something _to screw you up._

There is a long pause when he simply scans the landscape, taking in what he can of this familiar land. An Elf's memory is long, but his memory of this place will fade once he reaches the Havens, and there are some parts that he does not want to forget.

_Will you forget me?_

"No, Riley. I will never forget you." His hand tightens again on the book he is holding. "I will carry your voice with me always."

_Cool beans, dude._ _I mean, not that beans are particularly cool, and no, I don't mean temperature, because I'm quite aware that beans can be cool temperature-wise. I mean that it's awesome that you found my book and all… I totally thought that it must have fallen in a river or something. It would have been just like me to drop hundreds of hours of work into a river or a bat cave or something and that means that to retrieve you would have had to, like, face Batman, and…_

"We are casting off, Legolas!" a voice calls, interrupting her rambling diatribe.

Legolas turns to acknowledge Haldir, and then chuckles and looks down at the bound parchment. "It does not extend past your time in Lorien, but it reminds me of how you express yourself."

_Yeah. At least I didn't write it all in song lyrics. Like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Into the West." Which, come to think of it, would be appropriate for this moment, don't you think?_

"Aye. The deeds of men have outlasted us at last."

_Ray of sunshine, you are. _

"And patriot I am, to the last. Thus, I leave my home in Ithilien to rejoin my people. Perhaps in the Havens, we may continue to exist."

_You know you're talking to yourself, right? You're worse than Pippin and his licking walls. Or Boromir and how he started that grape-throwing fight…_

He laughs. "No one on this earth or any other believes that anyone but you started that, Riley." He takes a deep breath. "I will miss you always."

_Me too, Leaf. Now go do what you're meant to._ She gives him a mental wink, and with a last smile at the expanse of the harbor, Legolas turns and boards the boat with the others, ready to continue on.

No, he will never forget that girl.

* * *

"_To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…_

_to leave the world a better place… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."_

_-Ralph Waldo Emerson_


End file.
